Bowls with strawberries

Name: Bowls with strawberries
Ingredients: 500 g fragrant strawberries; 100 g sugar; 1.5 liters dry white wine; 1 bottle of champagne; 3-4 mint leaves; 75 ml water

Beverages - Bowls with strawberries by Sabina F. - Recipia

When it's very hot, this strawberry bowl is easy to prepare and served cold, straight from the glasses. The strawberries are first refrigerated in wine and sugar, along with mint leaves, then the rest of the wine, champagne, and sugar syrup are added. The fruits are served with a teaspoon, while the liquid can be sipped through a straw. Quick Info Total time: at least 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on how quickly the syrup cools Preparation time: about 15 minutes for preparing the strawberries and syrup Chilling time: 1 hour for the strawberries; the wine and champagne should be kept in the fridge, and the syrup must be cooled before use Servings: the number of servings is not specified; it depends on the size of the glasses and the amount put in each Difficulty: easy Recipe type: cold fruit drink, suitable for hot days Ingredients 500 g fragrant strawberries 100 g sugar 1.5 liters dry white wine 1 bottle of champagne 3-4 mint leaves 75 ml water Preparation method 1. Rinse the strawberries well and remove the green stems. Let them drain, then cut them into smaller pieces. If they are very large, you can quarter them; the important thing is that they are easy to scoop with a teaspoon from the glass. 2. Place the strawberry pieces in a large glass bowl. It should be spacious enough to mix all the ingredients without spilling. 3. Sprinkle two tablespoons of sugar from the total amount over the strawberries. Pour about three-quarters of the white wine over them and mix gently. There's no need to mash the fruits; it's enough for the sugar and wine to distribute among the strawberries. 4. Add the mint leaves to the bowl. Cover the container with a lid and place it in the fridge for an hour. During this time, the strawberries will sit in the wine and absorb the mint flavor. 5. The remaining wine and champagne should be kept in the fridge separately to be well chilled when added to the bowl. 6. Place the remaining sugar in a pot with 75 ml of water. Boil the mixture until the sugar dissolves and forms a syrup. The source of the recipe does not specify an exact boiling time, so stop when the syrup is homogeneous, without visible sugar granules. 7. Allow the syrup to cool. Do not add it hot over the strawberries, wine, and champagne, as the drink must be served cold, and the heat can affect the effervescence of the champagne. 8. After the hour of marinating in the fridge has passed, pour the remaining wine and cold champagne over the strawberries. Mix gently, being careful not to shake the mixture too much. 9. Add the cooled syrup and mix a little more, just enough to combine the ingredients. The final taste depends on how sweet the strawberries are and the wine used, but the recipe maintains the indicated sugar proportion. 10. Divide the strawberry bowl into glasses. Each glass should contain both liquid and fruit pieces. A teaspoon is useful for the strawberries, and a plastic straw can be used for the liquid. Why I make this recipe often It’s a drink that doesn’t require complicated preparation and can be made ahead of time, provided the wine, champagne, and syrup are cold before mixing. The strawberries have time to soak in the wine, and the mint flavor is subtly present in the liquid. Plus, there’s no need for any special equipment or techniques: just prepare the fruits, boil the syrup, and keep everything cold. Another advantage is that it serves as both a drink and a light dessert at the same time. The liquid is sipped, while the fruits are eaten separately with a teaspoon. Tips Use a large glass bowl, as the total volume of wine, champagne, and fruit is considerable. A bowl that is too small will make mixing difficult and there’s a risk of spilling. Wash the strawberries before removing the stems. After cleaning, cut them and use them without mashing. Respect the one-hour chilling time for the strawberries. During this time, they combine better with the wine and sugar. Keep the wine and champagne in the fridge until just before use. The champagne is added last and mixed briefly to preserve as much effervescence as possible. Allow the syrup to cool before pouring it into the bowl. If it is still hot, it will warm up the drink. Add the mint leaves before the refrigeration period, as specified in the recipe. When serving, they can remain in the bowl or in the glasses. Substitutions The recipe is based on the combination of strawberries, dry white wine, champagne, sugar, and mint. Substitutions for these ingredients are not recommended, as changing them will alter the taste and character of the drink. If you do not wish to use all the mint leaves for serving, you can remove them before dividing into glasses. However, in the original recipe, they remain in the fridge with the fruits to flavor the mixture. Do not replace the sugar syrup with dry sugar added at the end. The syrup is prepared specifically to distribute more easily in the liquid. Variations The recipe does not provide specific variations for preparation, and the base quantities should be maintained if you want the same result. You can only modify how you cut the strawberries, depending on their size and the glasses used. If the fruits are small, you can cut them in half. Large strawberries can be cut into several pieces, making them easy to serve with a teaspoon. For a less agitated mixture, pour the champagne slowly after adding the remaining wine. Mix only once, with gentle movements. Serving ideas The bowl should be divided into glasses immediately after the champagne and cold syrup have been added. Each glass should contain a few pieces of strawberries and enough liquid to be sipped through a straw. Serve with a teaspoon for the fruits. The glasses should not be filled long before serving, as the champagne gradually loses its bubbles. Frequently asked questions How long should the strawberries sit in the fridge? The strawberries should be kept for one hour in the fridge after being mixed with two tablespoons of sugar, about three-quarters of the amount of wine, and the mint leaves. When is the champagne added? The champagne is added after the strawberries have been in the fridge for an hour, along with the remaining wine. It should be cold and mixed gently. Is it necessary to cool the syrup? Yes. The syrup is boiled from the remaining sugar and 75 ml of water, then allowed to cool before being added over the fruits and alcohol. Do not add it hot. Can the bowl be prepared a day in advance? The strawberries can be prepared and kept in the fridge with wine, sugar, and mint, but it’s better to add the champagne close to serving time. This way, the drink retains its effervescence better. How many servings does it yield? The recipe does not specify the number of servings. This depends on the volume of the champagne bottle, the size of the glasses, and the amount served in each. Divide the mixture so that each glass has both fruit and liquid. Nutritional values Values are approximate, as the recipe does not specify the volume of the champagne bottle nor the number of servings. For the entire amount, the added sugar contributes approximately 400 kcal and about 100 g of carbohydrates. The 500 g of strawberries provide about 160 kcal and approximately 38 g of carbohydrates, some of which come from natural sugars. The wine and champagne provide calories mainly from alcohol. The exact value varies depending on the type and alcoholic concentration of the beverages. As a general estimate, the entire recipe may reach approximately 2,000-2,400 kcal, depending on the volume of the champagne bottle and the beverages used. Per serving, values cannot be accurately determined without knowing the number of glasses. A glass contains, roughly, calories from sugar, fruits, and alcohol, and the amount can vary widely. Proteins and fats are very low. Carbohydrates mainly come from the added sugar, strawberries, and any residual sugars from the wine and champagne. Storage and reheating The bowl should be stored in the fridge, in a covered container, and consumed cold. Because it contains champagne and fresh fruits, it’s best served the same day while the drink is still effervescent and the strawberries have a good texture. If there is leftover mixture, keep it in the fridge and consume it as soon as possible. It should not be reheated. After storage, the champagne will lose its bubbles, and the fruits will gradually become softer. It’s best to add the champagne only before serving, especially if you prepare the strawberries, wine, and syrup in advance.

Bowls with strawberries

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