An Easy Sophisticated Dish: Macerated Fruit

You may have had a delightful gourmet bowl of fruit “in syrup” with whipped cream and perhaps a piece of chocolate at a fancy restaurant. The technique is called macerating fruit. It softens fruit, by soaking it in a liquid. Unlike many desserts at upscale restaurants, macerated fruit and cream is beyond easy to make at home.

Although typically associated with berries, any type of fruit, fresh or dried, can be macerated. It’s similar to marinating meat or vegetables in that you simply let fruit soak in flavored liquid such as liquor, vinegar, or fruit juice for a few hours or overnight. The fruit absorbs flavor, as well as softens (or plumps in the case of dried fruit). The key ingredient is sugar of some sort, such as granulated or brown, or honey. Herbs and/or spices, such as cinnamon sticks or sprigs of rosemary, can be included for even more flavor. For stone fruit, apples or pears, macerating may take longer. If you are using a mix of fruit including harder and softer, add the soft fruits like berries later in the process. You can also add all sorts of flavor enhancers according to your taste and chosen fruit. Try one of these:

  • Fresh Citrus – Either fresh citrus juice, zest, and/or peel
  • Fresh Herbs – e.g. basil, mint, tarragon, or thyme
  • Flavor Extracts – e.g. vanilla, almond, hazelnut, or maple
  • Liquor or Liqueurs – e.g. vodka, rum, bourbon, triple sec, or amaretto
  • Vinegar – e.g. balsamic, white balsamic, champagne, apple cider, or sherry vinegar
  • Spices, Seasonings, and Such – e.g. ginger, cinnamon, chili powders

Here are two combinations for strawberries.

Champagne strawberries or mixed berries are a unique, gourmet way to serve a fantastic summer fruit. The sweetness of the berries is complemented by the tartness of the sparkling wine, and the honey and mint amplify the dish further. The champagne brings out the berries’ beautiful color. In the winter, it will perk up the not-as-ripe strawberries that are sold. If you have fruit that’s been in the refrigerator too long, macerate it. Champagne strawberries are a fun, easy, tasty, and unique dessert to show off to guests. It looks beautiful with a sprig of mint in small white dessert bowls or in a stemware.

Print

Champagne Strawberries

Macerated strawberries in a cup of champagne & honey topped with whip cream.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword champagne strawberries
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 16 oz fresh strawberries, hulled & large berries halved or a combination of berries
  • 1 cup champagne or dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp local honey to taste
  • optional chopped fresh mint

Instructions

  • Place berries in large bowl
  • Pour just enough wine over berries to gently toss fruit with (like vinegar on a salad)
  • Drizzle honey to taste to balance out any tartness and acidity
  • Sprinkle in chopped mint for added freshness
  • Stir gently
  • Tightly cover bowl
  • Let berries marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours
  • Scoop berries into a bowl with some of the juice, & add whipped cream on top
  • optional Garnish with a sprig of mint & a square of chocolate

This technique is so simple; I hesitate to call it a recipe. One of the most popular macerated berry combinations is strawberries or mixed berries with balsamic vinegar. The key to balsamic strawberries is that you need to use a good balsamic vinegar, not the cheap stuff at the grocery store. Don’t be afraid of the dash of pepper as it makes it even better.

Print

Strawberries & Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic strawberries are a unique, gourmet way to serve a fantastic summer fruit. The balsamic vinegar brings out the berries' beautiful color and truly enhances their flavor.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword balsamic strawberries, strawberries & balsamic vinegar
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 16 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and large berries halved or mixed berries
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (or white)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • optional fresh mint

Instructions

  • Place strawberries in a large bowl
  • Drizzle vinegar over strawberries
  • Sprinkle with sugar
  • Stir gently to combine
  • Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour but no more than 4 hours
  • Grind black pepper over strawberries just before serving
  • Serve as a dessert or use as topping on pancakes, French toast, yogurt, cake or ice cream
  • optional garnish with fresh mint

For sliced peaches, the goal is to slightly soften the peach slices and sweeten them slightly. The liquid comes from a little lemon juice but mostly from the peaches’ own juices, drawn out by soaking in a little brown sugar. It really emphasizes its peachiness. You might use maple syrup or agave nectar instead of brown sugar. You could also turn to sherry or an almond liqueur like Amaretto. For simplicity, just combine a little sugar, a little lemon juice, a little salt and a lot of peaches. See Kitchen Parade for complete instructions.

Emeril’s recipe has more ingredients and definitely goes beyond simple peach slices. The macerated peaches are part of a dessert with pound cake and ice cream. The interesting combination of ingredients used to macerate the peaches includes sugar, fresh grated ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and Grand Marnier. The macerated peaches are placed in a bowl with cake and ice cream for a grand presentation. The peaches sound delicious even without the presentation if you want to try something different.

Rachel Ray gives us a totally different perspective pairing the macerated peaches with cheese. Rose wine and sugar macerate the peaches which are then arranged on a platter with fresh mozzrella and mint. Yum!

Amaretto Macerated Berries made with a mixture of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and Amaretto make the perfect grown up dessert. They’re an elegant and delicious addition to a holiday or party while being easy enough for a weeknight meal. Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen provides all the details.

Apples, grapes, pineapple, grapefruit, and dried cranberries are macerated with apple and citrus juice, cinnamon, and Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur) to make a wonderful dessert. It’s a delightful combination of flavors. Check it out at My Recipes.

For the pie bakers, maceration is a great way to control the juiciness of pie filling to prevent a soggy crust. For example, if you’re making a standard 9-inch pie,combine the recipe’s fruit and sugar in a large bowl. Let it macerate for 30 minutes, strain the juices and reduce them on the stovetop until 1/3 to 1/4 cup remain. Combine the reduction with the fruit and thickener (most often cornstarch) to form the filling. Once the pie is properly baked and cooled, you should be able to cut nice, neat slices instead of ending up with a soupy mess.

Many holiday recipes call for dried fruits that have been steeped in alcohol. Make a batch in advance to have on hand, adapting the fruits and liquors to your taste. They also make gourmet gifts. Martha Stewart provides simple instructions.

Use:

  1. ½ cups dried fruit (such as cranberries, cherries, golden raisins, and currants)
  2. ¾ cup alcohol (such as brandy, aged rum, Marsala, or sherry)

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to macerated fruit. Happy Eating!

This post was featured at:

Thanks for the visit. Get exclusive free printables & all the news straight to your mailbox!

Subscribe

* indicates required

Please see my Link Parties page for the parties where this post was shared.

Carol

I was raised in Tennessee but have lived in Florida for many years. Love my small home in the Tampa Bay area and its developing garden. My decorating style is eclectic - some vintage, some cottage, all with a modern flair. Pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Spent many years in social services but am happily retired.

14 thoughts to “An Easy Sophisticated Dish: Macerated Fruit”

  1. Thank you for these easy yet elegant recipes. Berries with cream has always been a favorite. I think the Champagne Strawberries is something I’ll give a try this summer.

  2. We had strawberries in balsamic vinegar at a friend’s house. I wasn’t sure about the combination when she brought the fruit out but the strawberries tasted delicious!

    #MMBC

  3. Ohh! Champagne strawberries sound so good, what a lovely treat they would be. I didn’t know this was called macerated fruit. What great ideas.
    I saw someone on TikTok the other day putting grapes in flavoured vodka then freezing them and I thought about trying to make them.

  4. I have not heard of most of the things you mentioned here! 🙂 ha These dishes look delicious! Thanks for sharing this post with us at the Will Blog for Comments #43 linkup. We hope to see you at #44, too. Have a great week!

  5. Wow Carol. These all look great. I needed this last week. We bought a basket o 8 peaches and some were over ripened within 2 days. Thank you for sharing. Pinned and saved for future use. Hugs.

  6. Thanks for sharing with SSPS, this post is one of my features for this week’s Link-up. Thank you for sharing with us, we sure appreciate it! Melynda @scratchmadefood!

I love to make new friends and get to know you.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.