How To Make Roasted Strawberries For The Most Elegant Ice Cream Topping

Strawberries and ice cream is a delicious combination on its own, especially when the fruit is in its peak season in the summer. But why not play around with the strawberries by roasting them to supple, delectable softness? Similar to macerating berries in lemon and sugar, roasting strawberries brings out a more pronounced berry taste, even in berries that aren't at peak flavor or freshness. Roasting strawberries draws out the water content, leaving them with a more concentrated, intensified flavor that makes an amazing ice cream topping. The berries' texture changes to be soft and tender, not quite spreadable but jammy with a syrupy juice surrounding them, as the liquid excreted from the berries combined with sugar reduces. 

The process of roasting strawberries is quite simple; all you really need is a rimmed baking sheet, strawberries, and a sweetener. It's not required, but a bit of acid can go a long way in this process, too. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Clean, dry, and hull the berries, cutting larger berries in half and leaving the smaller ones whole. Place them on the baking sheet, sprinkle with sugar (and acid if using), and toss to combine before placing them into the warm oven. Ripe strawberries will need more time in the oven to fully release all their juices, while less-ripe berries will cook down more quickly, so your actual baking time will vary, but this process usually takes at least two to three hours. The key is to roast them low and slow so the strawberries gently give up their juices and soften.

Your options to customize flavor are endless. I prefer to use granulated or brown sugar and lemon juice to keep a fairly neutral profile, but depending on their future use, a vanilla bean or a teaspoon of vanilla paste is lovely, and sometimes I'll use a balsamic or raspberry vinegar as the acid instead of lemon juice. You can play around by using pomegranate molasses or even orange blossom water, or take a more savory route and add Sichuan peppercorns or freshly cracked black pepper. The strawberries can be a blank canvas for almost any flavor combination you can imagine.

Roasted strawberries make a delicious vegan ice cream topping. If you're serving an Italian-inspired meal, finish it off with ice cream or gelato topped with roasted strawberries drizzled with an aged balsamic, and you can scatter some freshly torn basil leaves on top for an added herbaceous note. 

Other than ice cream, roasted berries are great on breakfast items like pancakes or yogurt, and they are incredible on top of toasted sourdough spread with fresh ricotta and sprinkled with flaky salt. Generally, roasted strawberries can be used in place of macerated berries in recipes, like in a pie, trifle, strawberry shortcake, or on angel food cake. They're a great addition to a charcuterie board in place of fresh berries or jam. Start with the basics in our roasted strawberries recipe and then customize to your own preferences.