Macerated strawberries with cashew cream make a beautiful no-bake vegan, gluten-free dessert. These sweetened sliced strawberries are also delicious with whipped cream or lightly sweetened yogurt.
2teaspoonhigh quality balsamic vinegar,OR see substitutions in blog post
1teaspooncoconut sugar,or 0-calorie natural sweetener like Monkfruit with erythritol
lemon zest
Cashew Cream
1cupraw organic cashews,soaked in water for at least 2 hours, drained and rinsed
½cupfiltered water
1tbsp + 1 tspmaple syrup,pure
¼teaspoonpure vanilla extract
pinchsea salt
Instructions
Begin by soaking organic cashews in water for at least two hours or overnight. Put the cashews in a bowl or glass measuring cup, cover with cool water and let them sit. Soaking will soften them, making them easier to blend. If you're soaking them overnight, put them in the refrigerator. Once soaked, drain and rinse thoroughly before transferring to a high-speed blender.
Add filtered water, maple syrup, vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt. You'll need a high-speed blender to achieve a smooth, creamy texture. Start with a small amount of water, adding a little at a time until the cashew cream has the consistency of thick whipped cream or yogurt. Cover and chill in the fridge.
Wash and halve fresh strawberries and toss with balsamic vinegar and coconut sugar or other granulated sweetener.
Spoon about a quarter of a cup of cashew cream into each of four dessert glasses or plates, top with sweetened balsamic strawberries and garnish with lemon zest.
Notes
See the post for more suggestions for different ways to macerate strawberries.