Berry Easy, Berry Delicious: 3 Ways to Ring in the Strawberry Season in Your Kitchen

Spring has sprung in the city, and with that comes the imminent prospect of strawberry season in New York. Inspired by NYU’s annual Strawberry Fest, here are some berry delicious recipes to ring in the season. With just a box of strawberries, you can indulge in some yogurt clusters - the perfect finals season snack, a springtime strawberry crumble, or a slightly more intricate strawberry tiramisu to impress your friends!

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Courtesy of Agnes Hsu for Hello Yummy

Strawberry Yogurt Clusters

An easy, refreshing snack that can be prepped days in advance. These save me during finals week - no prep, no baking, and the hardest part is just waiting for them to freeze! 

What you'll Need

1.5 cups strawberries (diced)

3 cups greek yogurt

2 tablespoons of honey

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Mix the yogurt and honey until smooth. Add honey until your desired sweetness is achieved.

3. Add diced strawberries and mix to combine. Spoon mixture onto parchment paper into clusters.

4. Freeze clusters for 2 hours.

5. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals while stirring, until smooth.

6. Dip clusters into melted chocolate until fully covered, and refreeze for at least 15 minutes.

Store in the freezer and enjoy!

Tip: When melting the chocolate, if you find that your mixture isn’t smooth enough, a teaspoon of coconut oil should do the trick.

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Courtesy of Norah Cooks

Strawberry Crumble

Inspired by my mom’s fall berry crumble, this  simple, cozy dessert comes together in under 20 min. Add vanilla ice cream and it's perfect for warm summer nights!

What you'll Need

For the filling:

1 1lb box of strawberries

2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

1 tablespoon of cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the crumble:

1 cup white whole wheat flour

⅓ cup light brown sugar

⅓ cup dark brown sugar

6 tablespoons of butter

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

½ cup toasted oats

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 8x8 inch baking dish

2. In a medium bowl, combine sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Stir until well coated. Pour into a greased dish.

3. In a larger bowl, combine the flour, light and dark brown sugars, and cinnamon. 

4. Add in the cubed butter and work the butter into the mixture until the mixture looks crumbly and resembles chunky sand almost. Stir in the toasted oats.

5. Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the strawberries.

6. Bake for 35-40 min, or until crumbles are golden brown and the strawberry mixture is bubbling.

7. Cool and serve warm. 

It’s best paired with some refreshing vanilla ice cream!

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Courtesy of Heather Smoke for Curly Girl Kitchen

Strawberry Tiramisu

As a self-proclaimed tiramisu lover, it seems daunting to attempt at home. This recipe makes it easy and quick. Here’s a berry delicious twist on a classic and sure to impress!

What you'll Need

For the strawberry layer:

• 1 1lb box of strawberries

• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

• ¼ cup of water

For the cream layer:

• 8 oz softened mascarpone cheese

• 1 cup heavy cream

• ⅓ cup powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the tiramisu:

• 20-25 ladyfinger cookies

Instructions

1. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan until dissolved. Remove from heat and add in strawberries. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Strain strawberries out.

3. In a bowl, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. 

4. In a separate, larger bowl, whisk or hand mix mascarpone until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone until fully combined.

5. Time to assemble! Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the strawberry syrup. Arrange them in a layer at the bottom of a serving dish.

6. Spread half of the mascarpone-cream mixture over the ladyfingers.

7. Layer half of the strained strawberries on top.

8. Repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers, cream, and strawberries

9. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to set. 

Serve and enjoy!

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Whether you’re in the mood for a light snack or ready to make a full-on Bake Off worthy tiramisu, these strawberry recipes can add that perfect amount of joy (and sweetness) to your spring. Grab a box of strawberries and let the season begin!