This Strawberry Puree recipe is quick, easy, fresh and healthy and it is super versatile too. From baby food to drinks to cheesecake, or for baking muffins, cakes, topping ice cream or a whole bunch of dessert fillings. And all you need is strawberries!
This strawberry puree couldn't be easier, as all you need is strawberries. No added sugar or additives, which is why it makes it perfect for baby led weaning. Not just for babies though, we use this to put on ice cream or pancakes, and in our baking too. More on its uses below.
If your kids love strawberry jam, then try this as a healthy alternative. You don't feel like your teeth are covered in sugar after eating it. It is a great way to use up strawberries before they go bad too.
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Ingredients needed
Just one ingredient is needed to make strawberry puree - Strawberries! Try to use the freshest strawberries you can. Strawberry season runs from May to October, depending where you are in the world.
Making strawberry puree is super simple. You first need to wash the strawberries well and then hull them. Chop into chunks, heat in a pan and then mash. You can put them in a food processor or blender if you want it really smooth. Doesn't get much more simple than that!
How to make strawberry puree - Step by step
One: Hull the strawberries.
Two: Cut them into small chunks and then add them to a pan and heat on high for 3 minutes.
Three: Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the strawberries until they turn a jam (jelly) consistency. Heat for a further 5 minutes.
Four: Transfer to a bowl to cool. It will have some liquid in the bowl, but it will set after it has been left to cool.
Why should you try it?
- Just one ingredient
- Only 16 calories per portion
- No added sugar
- Great for baby led weaning
- Freezable
How to hull strawberries
If you have never hulled strawberries before, don't worry too much as it isn't complicated. Make sure you wash them before hulling, otherwise they will fill with water.
Just take a small sharp knife and around the leafy green "stalk" at the top, use the knife in a circular motion to cut in the strawberry at an angle and lift out the green part and discard. Follow this guide on how to properly hull your strawberries.
Do the strawberries have to be cooked?
When we want to make a really quick and easy strawberry puree, we don't bother to cook the strawberries, we just blend them raw. However, if we are using the puree in baking, or we want a more intense flavour, then we do heat them first.
Simply put the hulled and washed strawberries in a pan over a low heat for 5 minutes.
Ways to use it
This is the best thing about this strawberry puree - it has so many uses. We started making this when we were weaning our first child, but quickly realised that it's not just for kids.
We add it to yogurt or ice cream for a dessert, it goes on pancakes and waffles for breakfast and we even use it in baking to make muffins.
If you want a more adult use for it, then we have added it to cocktails before. It make a lovely daiquiri.
Storage
This puree will keep in the fridge for around 3-4 days, however you can freeze it too which is what we did when we were using it for weaning.
Pour the puree into ice cube trays and then freeze until solid. Once frozen, you can pop them all out of the tray and keep them together in a freezer bag and get them out a cube at a time to defrost.
FAQs
We mostly make this in the summer months when strawberries are cheap and ripe, but we do like to have it in the winter too. So we use frozen strawberries then (we freeze them in bulk when they are on offer in the summer). Make sure your defrost the strawberries thoroughly first.
We love the simplicity of this puree, and just the strawberry flavour. However, if it isn't sweet enough for you, then you can add some sweetener to it. I would recommend maple syrup or honey. However, when making it for children I wouldn't add any extra sweetener.
This keep this as quick and easy as possible, we didn't sieve the puree after blending it. However, if you want it smoother or the seeds of the strawberries both you, then you can pass it through a fine mesh sieve. Keep the discarded "pulp" to add to smoothies.
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Recipe
Strawberry Puree
Instructions
- Hull the strawberries then cut them into small chunks and then add them to a pan and heat on high for 3 minutes.
- Cut them into small chunks and then add them to a pan and heat on high for 3 minutes.
- Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the strawberries until they turn a jam (jelly) consistency.
- Cook on low for 5 minutes and then transfer to a bowl to cool. It will have some liquid in the bowl, but it will set after it has been left to cool. Strain through a fine mesh sieve if you don't want the seeds.
Notes
- You can use frozen strawberries, but make sure they are fully defrosted first.
- You could blend other fruits in to this like peach or raspberries.
- You can add honey (not for babies) or maple syrup if you want it sweeter.
- If you don't like the strawberry seeds, then pour it through a fine mesh sieve.
- You can freeze this puree in an ice cube tray and the store the cubes in a freezer bag.
Heidy
I made this for the family this morning and it was wonderful. So refreshing and healthy too. I will save this to make again. Yum'd to save the recipe.
Jacqueline Meldrum
Funnily enough I've made this type of puree before with other berries but never strawberries.
I don't eat strawberries out of season (I'm always so sad when it ends), but I will try this one in the summer.
Sharing :)