Chamomile Tea Cake with Strawberry Icing

A friend recently introduced me to the work of Eric Kim and I love his ideas for recipes, so when I saw this one made with multiple flavors I really like, I wanted to give it a try.

Verdict: This was really lovely tasting and the icing color so vibrant. The supercharged strawberry flavor was great! I would gladly make it again.

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RECIPE: Chamomile Tea Cake with Strawberry Icing (Eric Kim, for the New York Times)

Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits

Strawberry shortcake was a popular summer dessert in our house because my mom likes to pick strawberries (mid-late June where we live). You can make it with cake or with biscuits. My family is on Team Biscuit. (Though I won't turn away a cake-based one. :)) I used to eat it without the strawberries. I still remember the giant biscuits my mom made in a 9" round pan when I was little, but after I was a bit older she started making drop biscuits. One of the first things I learned to bake were strawberry shortcake biscuits with Bisquick mix. I have been hunting for a good recipe that doesn't use that but is still quick and easy.

Verdict: This is still not QUITE what I am after but it is quite good for the amount of time and effort I'm willing to put in. These are best the day they're made, or the next day after.

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RECIPE: Biscuit Strawberry Shortcake (Taste of Home)

Strawberry Freezer Jam

One day a year in the early summer, my mom woke us up at the crack of dawn to drive to a farm and pick strawberries with her. It had to be early morning, before the fields got too crowded and the sun got too hot. She did give us the choice to stay home but I always went because even at 6 years old, the occasional getting up with the sun made me feel good. Everything is quiet and peaceful and golden, especially in the countryside. You feel like you're getting a head start on the day. I still remember the very first time I went. A couple of my mom's friends came too, and she gave me an ice cream pail with a handle and a hole cut in the top to put my strawberries in.

I didn't really like strawberries at first, but I did like to pick them. I used to roll them in sugar before eating them because I found them too sour. I didn't like jam either, though I did love the look of the bright red jam my mom made inside their little glass jars, much brighter colored than the store bought strawberry or grape jam. I was a little sad when she put it in the freezer because it never looked quite as clear and pretty after. I was a peanut butter sandwich girl for a long time. I cried when I received my siblings' peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by mistake. Sometimes I ate them anyway.

As I got a little older and started to eat strawberries without a hefty coating of sugar, one morning I was making peanut butter toast for breakfast and decided to try Mom's strawberry jam on a corner of the toast of my own free will.  It converted me, just like that. I couldn't believe it. It was exactly how I wanted strawberries to taste when I was little. It took me a while to get used to it mixed with peanut butter, but it is to this day my favorite jam in the entire world. I started paying attention to how she made it, and started making my own once I found myself as an adult with an abundance of strawberries. Since then I've graduated to making jam with other freshly picked fruit, especially raspberries (which my parents love!) and sour cherries when I can get them, but strawberries are particularly easy to prepare because you don't need to remove seeds or pits.

I love freezer jam for three major reasons:

• First, you barely cook the fruit, which means it tastes more like the fresh fruit you made it out of. I am grossed out by cooked strawberries in most applications, so this is a very good thing for me. You can also keep the fruit more whole (I like large pieces of fruit in my jam).
• Second, you can make it with less sugar than you'd find in a store bought jam, which I think also helps with making it taste more like the fresh fruit (most store bought jam is too sweet for me).
• Third, it tends to set softer than traditional jam so it is easier to spread and doesn't look as gelatinous. This was a huge sticking point for me as a kid because I don't like the texture of a gelatinous thing that has been vigorously mixed after setting. (Oddly specific, I know.)

Notes:

• This is the recipe from inside the box of reduced sugar pectin and I can confirm this is the one my mother also used.
• Use the freshest, highest quality fruit you can find. I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life, but I generally don't bother with making homemade jam unless I can get freshly picked in-season fruit that I grew myself, picked myself from a farm, or bought directly from the producer at a farm market.
• You can use frozen strawberries that have been thawed. Just make sure they aren't too watery and are not freezer burned.
• This recipe requires pectin specially prepared for use in reduced sugar recipes. It comes in a pink box.
• Accurate measurements are very important for this recipe.
• Make sure your jars are VERY CLEAN before putting the jam inside.
• *As long as the jam doesn't grow mold, it's safe to eat for longer than 3 weeks kept in the fridge (we regularly used to keep the same jar in the fridge for 2-3 months). I've also eaten it after it's been frozen for several years and though the quality degrades a little bit, it's still delicious.

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RECIPE:

Strawberry Freezer Jam

from Sure-Jell

Makes about 7 cups

2 lb or 2 quarts fresh or frozen and thawed strawberries, enough to make 4 cups crushed fruit
1 box (1.75 oz, 49g) Sure Jell Less or No Sugar Recipes Fruit Pectin (pink box)
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water

Make sure your jars or other containers are clean and dry before beginning.

Prepare fruit: If using fresh: Rinse strawberries in cool water, then drain. Remove stem, leaves, and hull from each berry and cut in half. For fresh or frozen: Place berries in a clean mixing bowl. Mash berries with a potato masher, leaving some large pieces. You should end up with 4 cups; measure with a dry measuring cup to be sure, and if you have any extra, reserve it for another use.

Make jam: Place exactly 3 cups of sugar and entire packet of pectin in a saucepan and stir gently until thoroughly combined. Add 1 cup water. Place on stove over medium-high heat and whisk until thoroughly mixed and sugar is dissolved. Continue to stir constantly while letting it come to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Working quickly, stir in crushed strawberries until thoroughly incorporated. Ladle the jam into clean canning jars, leaving at least 1/2 inch space at the top. Let stand with lids off to cool to room temperature, then put the lids on and let stand at room temperature for another 24 hours. The jam can be eaten immediately, stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks*, or in the freezer for up to 1 year*.

Strawberry, Rose, and Honey Cupcakes

I got the idea a while back to try the flavors of strawberry and rose together when I saw a recipe for strawberry-rose jam. I don't like the texture of cooked rose petals in food though and finding edible rose petals seemed like it might be difficult, so I started looking for other ways to incorporate rose into food and decided rose water would be the easiest to find and experiment with given my inexperience cooking with this flavor. I also have an alternative fashion blog called Roses and Honey, a name inspired by songs and books created by one of my favorite bands, and was writing an article for it...when I decided why not mash all of those things together and see what happens? It sounded good, and I'm happy to report that it is in fact good.

Verdict: For cobbling the parts together from other recipes and trying a bunch of new recipes and techniques (using rose flavoring in food, piping roses, adding glitter), I'm very happy with the result. When I first made it I used less rose water than written below, and I didn't think the rose flavor was all that noticeable so I increased the amounts for the recipe below. I also did not initially put rose water in the frosting and thought it would benefit from that addition in the future, so I wrote it into the recipe. They are rather labor intensive so I don't know if I'd want to make them for a large event but I'd be excited to make these again for something like a small, fancy tea party.

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RECIPE:

Strawberry, Rose, and Honey Cupcakes

adapted from Baking Mischief (cupcakes), Sally's Baking Addiction (filling), Savory Sweet Life (frosting)
Makes 12 cupcakes

Vanilla-rose cupcakes:
6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, softened
7/8 cup (175g) granulated sugar
2 egg whites (80g) from large eggs
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 ml) rose water (optional)
1 cup (120g) sifted all-purpose flour, divided
1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 g) salt
10 tablespoons (5 fl oz, 148 ml) milk

Strawberry-rose filling:
1 cup (140 g) strawberries, fresh or frozen, chopped
1/4 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (8g) cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp warm water
1/2 tbsp (7 ml) rose water

Buttercream frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks, 225g) salted butter, softened
4 cups (440 g) sifted powdered sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 ml) rose water
2 drops red food coloring
2-4 tbsp (30-60 ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk

Decoration:
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey, the more local to you the better
Edible gold or pink glitter (optional)

Prepare cupcakes: Preheat oven to 375°F. Insert a paper liner into each cup of a 12-cup cupcake pan. Cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until lightened in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in egg whites, then vanilla extract and rose water. Mix in half of the flour, baking powder, and salt on low speed until just incorporated, then add milk and mix on low speed again until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until smooth. Scoop batter into lined baking cups, filling each one to just under 2/3 full. Place pan on middle oven rack and bake for 18-20 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or only with dry crumbs. When cool enough to handle, move cupcakes to a rack to cool to room temperature. While they cool, prepare filling and frosting.

Prepare filling: Heat strawberries in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until strawberries are thawed (if frozen) and have released liquid. Add sugar and cornstarch mixture to the pan, and cook for several more minutes, stirring constantly. When cornstarch has activated and mixture has thickened considerably (this could take up to 5 minutes), stir in rose water, then remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature while you prepare frosting.

Prepare frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Mix in 3 cups of powdered sugar in several additions on low speed (so it doesn’t fly everywhere) until well incorporated. It will look clumpy but this is normal. Add vanilla, rose water, food coloring, and 2 tbsp of cream, and beat until smooth. Add remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat until completely incorporated and smooth. If frosting is too stiff, add more cream a little at a time until it is still thick but able to be piped.

Assembly: Using a grapefruit spoon or paring knife, cut a cylinder or cone shaped core out of the center of each cupcake, being careful to keep it intact and not go all the way through to the bottom. Fill the spaces with about ½-1 tbsp of the strawberry-rose filling and replace the core (you might have to cut some of the cake off the bottom of the core so the filling doesn’t squish out). Load the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large size petal piping tip (#104). Pipe a rose onto the top of each cupcake. Drizzle honey in a thin stream onto the top of each cupcake; it will bead on the surface after it falls. I find this is easiest to do if you put the honey in a bowl or other container, dip a spoon into it then hold it above the bowl, and once the initial large blob of honey falls from the spoon, move the stream over the group of cupcakes. If using edible glitter, dip a small dry paintbrush into the container of glitter, hold about 4-6 inches above the cupcakes, and gently tap on the handle of the brush to scatter the glitter onto the cupcakes.

Store covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Extra filling can be refrigerated or frozen. Extra frosting can be refrigerated.

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Notes:

• Supposedly rose water is similar in strength to vanilla extract. I feel like I was conservative with the rose flavor since I am not experienced with adding it to food and it's easy to overdo; if you really like the flavor of rose, use a little more.
• You might be able to find rose water at your regular grocery store, but if not, try an Indian or Middle Eastern market. Some Asian markets also carry it. Keep in mind that rose water and rose extract are very different; rose extract is much more concentrated. If you can only find rose extract, use it sparingly (drops of it is probably enough). Rose liqueur could probably also be substituted in equal amounts as rose water if it's all you can find; Vom Fass sells a really tasty one.
• Use the best quality fruit you can find. Frozen strawberries can be used since they're being cooked, and often have better flavor than fresh ones most of the year where I live. I used frozen strawberries that I picked the previous summer.
• This Rose Cupcake Piping Technique Tutorial from CakesbyLynz was really helpful for learning to pipe roses on cupcakes.
• This is the petal tip I used for piping (Wilton #104).
• Warning: I have calculated weights/metric volumes of ingredients but have not tested this recipe using the weights.

Cheesecake Ice Cream with Strawberry Sauce

I received an ice cream maker as a wedding gift, and while I probably never would have bought one on my own, I have found it fun and useful to experiment with. The instruction booklet also came with a whole bunch of delicious looking recipes in the back, and since we were having a gathering in August and it'd probably be hot outside, I chose the cheesecake ice cream recipe from the booklet. Sarah was surprised that it did not involve any eggs or stove cooking. She ended up making the mix in the food processor rather than a stand mixer because it was occupied with other cooking projects, something that also worked surprisingly well.

I will never forget when she opened it up to taste the mixture before freezing it. She dipped a finger in, tasted it, and said "well, that doesn't suck." I have since incorporated these words into my regular vocabulary.

Notes:

• The mix can be made in a food processor instead of a stand mixer.
• The original fruit sauce recipe called for raspberries instead of strawberries and orange zest instead of lemon, which I think would also taste great. We skipped straining out the strawberry seeds because they're quite small, but if you make it with raspberries I highly recommend straining out the seeds.
• Other substitutions: we used 2% milk instead of whole and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and it worked quite nicely.
• We additionally served this with lemon curd and crushed graham crackers, though both of those things are 100% optional. The book also suggests chocolate sauce as a topping.

Verdict: I still don't make ice cream that much but I really loved this one, and would absolutely consider making it again.

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RECIPE:

Cheesecake Ice Cream with Strawberry Sauce

adapted from the recipe book that came with my Cuisinart ice cream maker

Makes about 5 cups ice cream and 1 1/4 cups strawberry sauce

For the ice cream:

12 oz (1.5 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup granulated sugar

½ tsp salt

¼ cup mascarpone, room temperature

1 cup whole or 2% milk, room temperature

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temperature

For the strawberry sauce:

12 oz frozen strawberries, thawed

¼ cup granulated sugar
 

Pinch kosher salt

Pinch grated lemon zest

Ice cream: Place cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until very smooth. Gradually add the sugar and salt with the mixer running until thoroughly incorporated. Add mascarpone and continue to mix until well combined. Slowly add the milk and vanilla. Mix. Fold or gently mix in the sour cream. Cover mixture and refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight, until well chilled. Once the mixture is fully chilled, prepare and turn on the ice cream maker. Pour the ice cream mix into the frozen freezer bowl and mix until thickened, about 15-20 minutes. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours for a firmer texture. Let soften for about 15 minutes before serving. Top with strawberry sauce.

Strawberry sauce: Put fruit, sugar, salt, and lemon zest into the blender jar and place the lid on top. Blend on high speed for about 15 seconds or until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds, if desired. Store leftovers in a glass jar. It will keep in the refrigerator for 7-10 days, or in the freezer for 6-8 months.

Green Tea White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

The combination of green tea and strawberry is a popular one in the springtime in Japan, and I personally *LOVE* it, both as a flavor combination and the pretty visual contrast of bright red and pale yet intense green. I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate covered strawberries; I like the idea of them and chocolate + strawberry is a great flavor combination, but in practice they are kind of just OK, and kind of difficult to eat, and do not keep well.

All of this said, when I found this recipe from Encha (a company that sells matcha) I had to try it, and decided to serve them at an early spring tea party where there would be lots of people to finish them before they got gross.

Notes:

• Be sure to choose the freshest strawberries you can find that don't have any mushy spots. These were absolutely phenomenal with freshly picked summer strawberries.
• These are best served and eaten the same day they are made because they do not keep well. Washed strawberries tend to quickly decline in quality. However, they will stay reasonably presentable for the next day.
• Note from summer 2025: I made them keto friendly using Lily's white chocolate style chips and it worked beautifully. 
• Some tips on matcha!
• As of the time of this writing, there is no legal definition or regulations regarding quality of matcha in the US, so something labeled "ceremonial grade" is not necessarily better quality or healthier for you than something labeled "all-purpose" or "culinary grade". However, do make sure you get actual matcha -- it involves far more work than just grinding up green tea leaves into a powder. The tea leaves that are specifically grown for matcha are very labor intensive to produce and it takes a lot to make a small amount of finished product, so that is why it is so much more expensive than regular green tea.
• My go-to is Maeda-en because it's readily available in multiple stores near where I live, and very reasonable price for the quality (about $9-$10 per ounce).
• It starts to oxidize as soon as you open the package and the color will dull the more it is exposed to air, so keep it sealed as tightly as you can after opening it. After a couple of months the color may turn to more of an olive/dull green, and it may not taste the same (I personally don't notice a change in taste because I haven't eaten it regularly enough yet to tell). TL;DR It's not as pretty after it oxidizes but it is still safe to cook with and consume.
• Before you mix matcha into anything, be sure to sift it well. It will not dissolve or melt into a liquid, even with lots of vigorous stirring or whisking or blending with a blender, and lumps will not break down.

Verdict: I loved them. I would make them again whenever I have a crowd of people that's open minded about green tea flavored chocolate to help me eat them.

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RECIPE:

Green Tea White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Adapted from Encha
Makes about 1 1/4 lb (about 20 strawberries)

1 cup (about 6 oz) white chocolate chips
2 tsp matcha
1 lb strawberries, washed and patted very dry with paper towels

Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in a glass or ceramic bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring well after each one, until the chocolate is completely melted. Sift the matcha into the melted chocolate and stir until smooth. Pick up a strawberry by its stem or leaves, holding all the leaves in your fingers, and dip the strawberry about 3/4 of the way up to the top, turning it to coat. Place on a sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining strawberries. Place the strawberries in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, until the chocolate has cooled and hardened. Serve as soon as possible. Store in a cool place.