Every summer, I get a craving…for strawberry puffs. I know that many of you have no idea what in the world a strawberry puff is, so allow me to elaborate.
I first learned of this wonderful fruity goodness in college, thanks to my friend and roommate, Lauren. They involve strawberries and vanilla pudding – with a dash of almond extract. Here’s a blog post with the recipe and photos of the finished “puff.”
They are amazing. And they are perfect for summer or to take to a potluck or party — what more could you need besides fruit, pudding and whip cream?
Also, I’ve found that if you don’t have the time to make them look pretty or if you’re allergic to strawberries (or just don’t like them), this works well as a fruit dip for just about any type of fruit. It’s also just plain wonderful to eat with a spoon (though extremely unhealthy).
Now, I’ll stop with the rambling. Here’s how to make them (as usual, with my notes in parenthesis):
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 package of vanilla pudding mix (Instant is best and you can always try the low or non-fat version, no idea if it will make a difference.)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (This really can’t be substituted for milk or half-and-half. I’ve tried them both and you end up with pudding–which I probably should have figured out before even trying it).
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 1 package strawberries (18-20)
To make it (you may want to take a look at the photos on Lauren’s blog, as I think they are extremely helpful when it’s your first time making this):
- Remove the stems from the strawberries.
- Cut an “X” in to the top part of each strawberry, creating a little hole for the “puff” (you can skip this step if you just want to dip the strawberries into the puff mix).
- Whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form (you can also try the pre-made whipped cream, but use more of it if you go that route–roughly two cups).
- In a separate bowl, mix the pudding mix with 1 cup of cold milk (don’t follow the directions on the box here–we are not making pudding).
- Fold in the whipped cream and almond extract (this is your last step if you are just using it as a dip).
- Using a piping bag (or plastic bag with a hole cut in the corner) and top each strawberry with cream (about a small spoonful for each strawberry).
Serves: 10 (or one if you like them as much as I do)
Serving size: 2
Now you’re ready to enjoy your puffs–and I’m sure that you will!
Image & recipe source:Laurealism.com
Yum.