Balsamic Strawberries with Mascarpone Cream

My brother inlaw is a budding gourmet. While visiting my family in Oklahoma last month, he made his "signature dessert" one evening and I was very impressed! Now that strawberries are coming into season, I wanted to share his recipe in which the traditional ingredients were swapped with diabetic-friendly substitutions to make it fit into my food plan. It calls for tiramisu flavored mascarpone cheese. If you can't find it, just use plain and dissolve ½ teaspoon instant coffee into the fat-free ½ and ½ before whipping the topping. This is a luscious and elegant dessert that is very easy to prepare and one you'd be proud to serve for any special occasion.

Balsamic Strawberries with Mascarpone Cream

(Makes 4 servings)

Halve 1 quart strawberries and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons powdered erythritol; set aside.

Sweet Balsamic Sauce ingredients:

2/3 cup balsamic vinegar

4 teaspoons powdered erythritol

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until the sweetener dissolves. Boil until liquid is syrup-like and reduced to ½ cup. Wait until it cools a bit and mix with the strawberries.

Whipped Mascarpone Cream ingredients:

½ cup mascarpone cheese (tiramisu flavored, if desired)

6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons powdered erythritol (to taste)

To make whipped cream, combine ingredients in medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer or whisk by hand until thick soft peaks form.

To serve: Mix strawberries with the balsamic sauce. Divide strawberries into four martini glasses and top with a large dollop of the mascarpone cream. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutritional Information per serving: 265 calories, 16 g carbohydrate, 23 g total fat, 15 g saturated fat, 2.2 g fiber, 2.9 g protein.

Recipe by Aiden Smith, copyright 2010, revised by Kathy Sheehan 2020
All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission.