Chef Notes: Stuffed Strawberries

May 9, 2013 Amanda

Pretty much everyone I know has posted, pinned, or shared a version of this recipe on Facebook, Pinterest, and other spots recently. I decided to give it a shot and take it to a friend’s birthday party. The strawberries were extremely popular. There were only a handful of people in attendance, but all two pounds of strawberries were eaten, most before dinner was even served. I’ll be making this again and looking for variations. The only special equipment you might need is a small melon baller, a piping tip, and a piping bag. All of which you can easily live without, they just make it easier. If you don’t have a piping bag, just clip the corner off of a quart sized zip top bag.

Stuffed Strawberries

2 lbs strawberries, stems removed and centers scooped out with a small melon baller
1 – 8 oz package light cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup light sour cream
¼ teaspoon lemon extract (or more to taste)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup powdered sugar (or equivalent sweetener of your choice, more can be added to your taste)

Method

Using a hand mixer or the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, blend together the cream cheese, sour cream, extracts, and sweetener until very smooth. You will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to be sure everything is mixed well. Transfer to a piping bag with a medium tip. Fill the strawberries. Refrigerate until service.

Now, I’m on a very low-carb diet so I used a no calorie sweetener. I also did not sprinkle them with crushed graham crackers as I’ve seen in the versions online, which I’m sure would be delicious. The original recipe also called for full fat cream cheese and sour cream. I did not tell the other party goers that they were light or that they were sugar free I could have easily brought double the amount and they would have been scarfed up. f you can find large raspberries or blackberries, I’m sure this would be terrific with them as well. They’re perfect for parties, picnics, or to just keep on hand for a quick snack for the kids. If you’re feeling particularly thrifty, you can make a flavored water or smoothie with the strawberry centers.