Flash freezing berries

Flash freezing berries is easy.  DON'T wash them!  Simply lay them out on a baking tray and place in the freezer uncovered for an hour or two until frozen solid.  When you take the tray out, give it a sharp tap and the berries will loosen.  Put them in a freezer bag and squeeze out the air and put them in another bag so they are double bagged.  Wash them just before you want to use them.  These will last up to a year if you double bag.

Freezing Pears

We have a pear tree and when they ripen, you need to know what to do with them.  Every year I make Pear Ginger Chutney, but just recently found this easy way to prepare pears for the freezer.

1.  Wash ripe pears.  Peel, core and slice into wedges.

2.  Pears turn brown quickly, so as soon as you peel and slice them, throw them into a pot of acidic water to keep them white:  To each quart of cold water add three 100% ascorbic acid vitamin C tablets crushed into a small amount of hot water.  Stir until dissolved.  For 2 dozen pears we used 6 quarts of water.

3.  Meantime, set water to boil to make a light sugar syrup:  To each quart of boiling water add 1 or 2 cups sugar, we used one cup sugar per quart.  Add three crushed vitamin C tablets, stir until sugar and vitamin is dissolved.  Continue to boil liquid.  Remove pears from acidic water in batches with a slotted spoon, and plunge in boiling syrup for one minute only.  Remove with slotted spoon and put in freezer container.  We used large 1 quart recycled yogurt containers.  When finished with all your pears, pour hot syrup over to cover, place lid, label and freeze.  Our 2 dozen pears made 4 quarts snowy white slightly sweetened sliced pears for the freezer.

Make sure you read the original post to find out how to ripen pears to perfection.

Knitionary

Strawberry-Marzipan Tart

Strawberry-Marzipan Tart

 

adapted from Lou Pappas

For filling, mix together the following:

7 oz. pkg of almond paste

1/4 C powdered sugar

2 T butter

1 egg yolk

1 T kirsch or other similar liqueur

 

For tart shell:

2 C flour (Gluten free ok)

3 T sugar

1 C cold butter cut into small pieces

2 T cold water

In food processor pulse first 3 ingredients until crumbly, add water and pulse a few more times.  Coat hands in flour and pat pastry into a 12 inch removable bottom tart pan then prick well with fork tines.  Bake at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown.  Cool.

5-6 C strawberries, washed and dried

1/3 cup strained red jam or jelly heated with 1 T liqueur

Spread filling into tart shell, arrange strawberries on top and brush jam mixture over top.

Refrigerate until serving.  Serve with sweetened whipped cream.  12 servings.

The original post was from Bad Girls Book Club Eats Again.

Knitionary