Delight your friends or dinner guests with homemade marinated strawberries, which make a delicious topping for ice cream, pound cake or dessert waffles. Use strawberries by themselves or with other fruits, and combine them with white wine, orange liqueur or other alcoholic beverage. Serve marinated strawberries for dessert right away, or make a large batch to give as gifts.
Step 1
Select firm, fresh strawberries from your local farmer's market or grocery store. Remove the green caps with a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler. Rinse the strawberries under cool water and cut away any soft sections.
Step 2
Cut the strawberries into quarters or thick slices, and place them in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle the strawberries liberally with white granulated sugar and allow them to sit for five minutes. You may also use powdered sugar, which may dissolve more quickly.
Step 3
Sprinkle the sugared berries with lemon juice and wine or flavored liqueur. White and dessert wines are common choices, as are orange liqueurs. Allow the berries to sit in the marinade for a half-hour or as long as three hours, when the sugar has dissolved completely. Marinate the berries at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Step 4
Store marinated strawberries in a tightly sealed container, such as a glass jar or plastic storage container. Keep refrigerated until about a half-hour before serving, to allow them time to come to room temperature. Return unused marinated berries to their sealed container and refrigerate.
- Replace the orange liqueur with orange juice and the wine with cider for a non-alcoholic version.
- Serve with a sprig of fresh mint or orange peel for garnish.
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