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Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

July 28, 2018 by Marisa 18 Comments

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

A jam lover’s joy, this Strawberry Rhubarb Jam is just as fun to make as it is to eat! Flavored with both the zest and juice of an orange and some freshly grated ginger for a little extra zing.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

When a pile of homegrown rhubarb literally landed at my feet…or rather my kitchen counter, I didn’t quite know what to do with it! I had loads of it! I’ve never baked or cooked with rhubarb before. It simply was not a vegetable I grew up with!

So, I washed it and patted it dry…cut it into chunks and into the freezer it went.

It sat on the top freezer drawer simply glaring at me each and every time I opened the freezer door. A constant reminder to use it before freezer burn set in.

Since I had so much of the chopped stalks I decided it was time for some jamming!

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

My first batch was all about the rhubarb and although it surpassed my expectations it was lacking that vibrant red color I had hoped for.

I suppose this is to be expected when one’s rhubarb stalks are mostly light green in color with splashes of light pink and crimson red tips.

But I must say that the taste was not impacted at all and the jam had this lovely golden hue much like apricot jam in color. It was total deliciousness and I would not hesitate to use the lighter green stalks again when jamming.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Just the same, I still wanted that crimson red jam!

Thankfully we are still in strawberry season here in Quebec, although it is tapering down as I type this. And that’s where these mid-season strawberries make their star appearance.

In the second act of my jamming experience! I used a full one liter basket of Quebec’s own glossy red strawberries. They’re wonderfully sweet with exceptional flavor! And well worth the wait, especially if planning on canning for the winter season.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

This recipe however does not require any canning experience and its a no pectin jam. But you’ll definitely need to use sterilized jars and lids.

It will keep refrigerated up to one month, if it lasts that long! Otherwise you can extend its shelf life by freezing the jam in small portion containers up to 6 months. But for maximum flavor I never freeze beyond three months.

Enjoy this easy to make Strawberry Rhubarb Jam on toast, dolloped over vanilla ice-cream or simply in any other of your favorite recipes!

Happy canning!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
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Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam flavoured with both the zest and juice of an orange and some freshly grated ginger for a little extra zing.
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: jam, rhubarb, strawberry
Servings: 14 125 ml mason jars

Ingredients

  • 10 cups rhubarb (I used frozen) chopped
  • 1 liter strawberries quartered
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • orange zest from 1 medium sized orange
  • orange juice from 1 medium sized orange
  • 1 teaspoon ginger freshly grated
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 14 125ml mason jars with lids sterilized

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients in a large sized pot and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Once it starts to boil, lower the heat down to medium-low and allow to simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour while stirring occasionally.
  • You'll know its ready when it reaches the consistency of applesauce and will thicken a little more as it cools.
  • Ladle the jam into the sterile jars and seal them with the sterile lids and rings.
  • Keep refrigerated if consuming within a month or freeze the jam in freezer containers or freezer bags for longer shelf life.
  • If your freezing the jam do note that flavor and quality declines when frozen too long. I would definitely consume frozen jam within 3 months for maximum flavor.

 

Filed Under: Breakfast, Dessert Tagged With: Condiment, jam, Rhubarb, strawberry

Italian Spumoni Cake

May 13, 2017 by Marisa 28 Comments

Italian Spumoni Cake

Delicious flavours of the ever popular Italian ice-cream better known as simply Spumoni! Here it’s revisited in a three layered spectacular Italian Spumoni Cake that is sure to impress!

Italian Spumoni Cake

Crumbly cake layers of strawberry, chocolate and pistachio are stacked together while separated by strawberry preserves and pistachio cream. Frosted with a vanilla scented buttercream, sprinkled with some crushed pistachios and then decorated with spumoni flavoured french macarons for a truly celebratory dessert.

Every once in a while hubby will surprise me with the latest Bake From Scratch Magazine, packed full of drool worthy baked goods that can easily be replicated at home. A true baker’s delight in every sense of the word.

This latest issue has some of the loveliest naked cakes or rather nearly naked cake recipes and the one that caught my eye was the Spumoni Cake. I love it for its pretty trifecta of colours which takes me back to those lazy hot summer days, happily sitting outside while enjoying some yummy spumoni ice-cream.

Italian Spumoni Cake

Although I’m not a baker by profession and have only ever baked a few layered cakes in my lifetime, I found this cake not difficult at all to put together and I’m sure you will too.

While you’ll basically be baking three separate layers, it’s really one cake batter divided among three separate bowls.

One bowl will have strawberry preserves folded into the batter, the second bowl will have cocoa mixture folded in while the third bowl gets some delicious pistachio paste.

Italian Spumoni Cake

You’ll want to begin assembling the cake directly on its serving platter lined with 2 pieces of parchment paper joined at the centre.

You then simply pull out the 2 sections when you’re done frosting for easy clean up.

Italian Spumoni Cake

Since decorating this beautiful Italian Spumoni Cake is where the fun really begins, do know that you can truly use your imagination here so feel free to add your special touch.

Although, the original recipe called for freeze dried strawberries to garnish the cake, they were really hard to find and I had absolutely no luck in finding them. However, I did come across some adorable french macarons looking simply perfect and I new they would adorn this cake quite beautifully.

I used a little dab of buttercream on one side of the macaron so that they adhered to the cake and I must say they added such a lovely touch to the overall look! Who would not want to sink their teeth into a slice of this delicious goodness…right?

Actually, hubby and I did just that! Day after day and just until there was not a crumb left. But please don’t judge, you would have done the exact same thing, I’m sure of it!

Italian Spumoni Cake

Worth mentioning here is how this cake actually tastes better the following days. Partially due to the preserves and pistachio paste nestled between the layers which keeps the cake very moist and also enhances the flavours of this visually stunning cake. As a result, this cake is an excellent make ahead dessert for those busy and extremely chaotic occasions which we all have from time to time.

Pistachio cream can also be made ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can therefore really pace yourself by making a few steps ahead of time which is always a win win in my book.

Most of all have fun.

Italian Spumoni Cake
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Italian Spumoni Cake

All the flavors of the ever popular Italian ice-cream better known as simply Spumoni, is revisited in a three layered spectacular Italian Spumoni Cake that is sure to impress.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Italian cake, Italian spumoni cake
Servings: 12
Author: Marisa

Ingredients

  • FOR THE CAKE LAYERS
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 3/4 cups cake flour
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour divided
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt I used fine sea salt
  • 240 grams or 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup strawberry preserves divided
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • pistachio paste recipe below
  • vanilla buttercream recipe below
  • chopped pistachios for garnishing
  • macarons to decorate spumoni colors, chocolate, strawberry and pistachio OPTIONAL
  • PISTACHIO PASTE
  • 2 cups roasted pistachios
  • 2 tablespoons of honey
  • 1/4 water
  • VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt I used fine sea salt
  • 9 cups confectioner's sugar icing sugar
  • 6 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions

  • CAKE LAYERS:
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  • Grease and flour 3 (9 inch ) round cake pans.
  • In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together at medium speed just until fluffy.
  • This should take about 3 to 4 minutes and if your using a stand mixer, you'll want to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.
  • Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
  • In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, 1/4 cup all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
  • With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the milk while starting with the flour mixture and ending with the flour mixture.
  • Beat just until combined between each addition.
  • Beat in the vanilla extract.
  • Divide the batter evenly among 3 separate bowls.
  • In the first bowl, fold in a 1/2 cup of well stirred strawberry preserves and the remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.
  • Combine the cocoa, 1/4 cup of boiling water and baking soda in a small bowl.
  • Fold the cocoa mixture into the second bowl of cake mixture.
  • In the third bowl of cake mixture, fold in a 1/2 cup of pistachio paste.
  • Spoon the cake batters into the prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Test to see if its done by inserting a wooden skewer in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean then the cakes are ready.
  • Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • ASSEMBLING THE CAKE LAYERS
  • Place the strawberry cake layer onto your serving platter and pipe a ring of vanilla buttercream all around the inside edge of the strawberry cake layer, creating a border.
  • Spread the remaining 1/2 cup strawberry preserves over the strawberry cake layer making sure to stay between borders.
  • Carefully place the chocolate cake layer over the strawberry layer and pipe a ring of vanilla buttercream around the inside edge, creating a border.
  • In a small bowl stir very well together 1/2 cup of the vanilla buttercream with the remaining pistachio paste and spread this over the chocolate layered cake while staying within the border.
  • Carefully top the pistachio cake layer over the chocolate cake layer.
  • Spread the remaining vanilla buttercream over the top and sides of the 3 layered cake. (I used a buttercream icing smoother to create the naked cake look)
  • Garnish with chopped pistachios and chocolate, strawberry, pistachio macaron cookies if desired.
  • PISTACHIO PASTE
  • Grind pistachios as fine as you can using a food processor or better yet a spice grinder if you have one.
  • Stir together the grind pistachios and honey in a small bowl.
  • Stir in 1/4 cup of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the paste has a consistency of peanut butter.
  • Pistachio paste can be made ahead and stored in an air tight container at room temperature up to one week.
  • VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
  • Place the butter in a large bowl and beat at medium speed just until creamy.
  • Beat in the vanilla and the salt.
  • Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the confectioners sugar.
  • Increase the speed to medium and continue beating until smooth.
  • Beat in the milk one tablespoon at a time until the buttercream frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.

Notes

Recipe is adapted from Bake From Scratch Magazine.

 

Filed Under: Cakes, Dessert Tagged With: buttercream, cake, chocolate, Italian dessert, pistachio, strawberry

Mini Strawberry Grapefruit Cheesecakes

June 30, 2016 by Marisa 37 Comments

mini-strawberry-grapefruit-cheesecakes

 

strawberry grapefruit cheesecake

These mini strawberry and grapefruit cheesecakes, showcases one of Quebec’s more delectable fruits. They are wonderfully sweet and pair perfectly with the juicy pink grapefruit segments. Both fruits are macerated together and then nestled atop the mini cheesecakes to provide a truly refreshing and stunning appearance.

You will love the ease with which this recipe comes together. It is fairly simple to prepare and the cheesecakes can be baked ahead of time! As an added bonus, they are sure to impress!

mini-strawberry-grapefruit-cheesecakes

Once baked the mini cheesecakes need to be properly chilled for at least 4 hours, so do plan ahead.

mini-strawberry-grapefruit-cheesecakes

If using the more delicate sweet strawberries I would not recommend preparing the fruit ahead of time as it renders the strawberries with a lackluster appearance. For ultimate freshness, I prepared my fruit mixture just before serving.

mini-strawberry-grapefruit-cheesecakes

With the red and white colors of the Canadian flag, these mini strawberry grapefruit cheesecakes make a delicious celebratory dessert for Canada Day or just about anytime one is craving a sweet little morsel!

Have a safe and fun filled Canada day everyone!

mini-strawberry-grapefruit-cheesecakes
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Mini Strawberry Grapefruit Cheesecakes

These mini strawberry grapefruit cheesecakes are delectable, creamy little morsels crowned with a mixture of sweet and bittersweet fruits
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12
Author: Marisa

Ingredients

  • CRUST
  • 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • CHEESECAKES
  • 2 packages cream cheese softened (250 grams each)
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • TOPPING
  • 2 cups sliced strawberries
  • 2 grapefruits peeled and skin removed cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  • For the Crust
  • Preheat the oven to 350* F (180 *C)
  • Place paper liners in 12 cup muffin tin.
  • For the crust, combine the graham crackers, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a small bowl.
  • Divide equally into the 12 cup muffin tin, pressing the mixture down into each muffin cup.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (on middle oven rack) until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
  • Meanwhile, lower the oven temperature to 325*F (170*C).
  • For the Cheesecakes
  • In a food processor blend together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
  • Add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract and process until the mixture is creamy.
  • You will need to scrape down the sides a few times to get the mixture blended well.
  • Divide the mixture equally over the prepared crust.
  • Bake for about 25 minutes or just until the cheesecakes are firm to the touch. Do not over bake the mini cheesecakes.
  • Let the cheesecakes cool and then refrigerate them for 4 hours or until they are well chilled.
  • Top with strawberry, grapefruit mixture just before serving.
  • Strawberry Grapefruit Mixture
  • In a medium size bowl, combine the sliced strawberries, grapefruit and sugar.
  • Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes to macerate and then drain.

Notes

Adapted from Ricardo Magazine

 

Filed Under: Cakes, Dessert Tagged With: cheesecake, cream cheese, dessert, grapefruit, strawberry, sweet

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