Berries and Cream

An extremely easy and refreshing dessert! Macerate berries for at least an hour. Macerate simply means soaking the berries. Try to select a sparkling wine that is on the sweet side and serve it as your beverage with the dessert. Try Rosa Regale Sparkling Dolce Red Wine (Banfi). It is sweet and it has a nice pink color for a wonderful presentation as your beverage pairing. What to try something different? Try a very sweet raspberry beer by Lindeman’s Framboise Beer (Belgium) to macerate the berries and get extra to serve as your beverage pairing. Please take note that it is very sweet, but is nice in that is corked, it fizzes like a Champagne and is pink! Top the berries with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of mint!

Ingredients

Berries
1 lb. container of fresh strawberries, preferably organic
5.6 oz. container of fresh raspberries, preferably organic
5.6 oz. of fresh blackberries, preferably organic
1/2 cup of your favorite sparkling wine
Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mint leaves for garnish

Technique

Clean berries and place in a medium bowl. Slice strawberries into smaller pieces. Pour a ½ cup of the sparkling wine or beer over the berries, cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature. Stir occasionally and gently. Berries should macerate for about an hour. Place a medium bowl in the freezer for about 5 minutes, remove and add cream. Using a mixer, beat cream on high until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Do not over beat. In a dessert bowls or a martini glasses add a mixture of the berries with sauce and add a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with mint leaves.

Suggested Beverage

Use the same Champagne, sparkling wine or beer that was used to macerate the berries. Remember to keep it on the sweeter side. Try the ones mentioned above or étoile Rosé Domaine Chandon, Les Clos de Paulilles Banyuls Rimage, Robert Mondavi Winery Moscato D’Oro or Jackson-Triggs Proprietors Reserve Vidal Icewine.

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