Description
Ree Drummond’s fruit salad celebrates summer’s sweetest bounty with a creamy marshmallow-pudding dressing that hugs fresh berries, grapes, and mandarin oranges. Colorful ingredients dance together, creating a dessert that feels like sunshine on a plate and brings pure joy to your summer gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits:
- 4 pints Strawberries, hulled and halved
- 2 pints Blueberries
- 2 cups Red Grapes, halved
- 2 cups Green Grapes, halved
- 1 Orange, juice and zest
Sweeteners and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 2 whole Vanilla Beans, caviar scraped out (or 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract)
Garnish:
- 1 handful Mint Leaves
Instructions
- In a petite saucepan, blend granulated sugar (1 cup), water (1/2 cup), freshly squeezed orange juice (1/4 cup), and finely grated orange zest. Whisk the ingredients thoroughly to ensure uniform integration.
- Elevate the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer. Allow the liquid to reduce and thicken for approximately 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Remove the syrup from heat and let it cool to ambient temperature. Transfer the liquid to a sealed container and refrigerate until completely chilled, which typically takes about 1 hour.
- While the syrup cools, prepare the fruit medley by washing and carefully slicing ripe strawberries, selecting plump blueberries, and sorting red and green grapes into a spacious mixing bowl.
- Retrieve the chilled syrup from the refrigerator and delicately drizzle it over the prepared fruit ensemble. Use a soft silicone spatula to gently fold and coat each fruit piece, ensuring an even and luxurious distribution of the aromatic syrup.
- Optionally, tear fresh mint leaves and sprinkle them atop the glistening fruit salad for an elegant herbaceous garnish. Serve immediately in chilled serving bowls for a vibrant and refreshing culinary experience.
Notes
- Chill the syrup overnight to enhance flavor depth and save precious prep time before serving.
- Experiment with exotic spices like star anise or cinnamon while cooking the syrup for a surprising taste twist.
- Select vibrant, ripe fruits that are sweet and bursting with natural sugars for maximum deliciousness.
- Toss in unexpected ingredients such as toasted coconut or chia seeds to add texture and nutritional boost.
- Create visual appeal by combining colorful fruits like kiwi, mango, and pineapple in your salad.
- Keep the fruit salad cool during outdoor events by nestling the serving bowl on a bed of ice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 112
- Sugar: 8.5 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg