Patriotic Deviled Strawberries
Deviled strawberries are the no-bake dessert that steals the show at every summer gathering and this patriotic version takes the concept straight to Fourth of July territory. Fresh strawberries halved lengthwise and hollowed out into little boats, filled with a smooth, cloud-like mixture of whipped cream cheese and marshmallow crĆØme tinted blue, and garnished with toasted coconut flakes. Red strawberry, white and blue filling, golden coconut on top. They look like they took hours and take about 15 minutes, and they disappear from the tray faster than anything else at the table.
The marshmallow crĆØme and cream cheese filling is the combination that makes these extraordinary rather than just pretty. Sweet, slightly tangy, impossibly light, and just firm enough to hold its shape when piped into the strawberry without running or collapsing. It tastes like the filling of a no-bake cheesecake and a marshmallow s’more at the same time, and against the fresh, slightly tart strawberry it is one of the best simple flavor combinations in summer dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No baking, no oven, and no complicated technique. Cut, mix, pipe, and garnish. This is a genuinely impressive dessert that requires almost no skill and produces a stunning result.
The red, white, and blue color combination happens naturally. Red strawberry, blue-tinted white filling, and toasted coconut produce the patriotic palette without any additional decoration.
The marshmallow crĆØme and cream cheese filling is extraordinary. Light, sweet, slightly tangy, and perfectly pipeable. It is the kind of filling that makes people ask what is in these before they have finished eating one.
They are made for a crowd. A full pint of strawberries produces a full tray of deviled strawberries that serves 8 to 10 people with almost no effort and a budget that stays well under any other dessert option.
How to Make Patriotic Deviled Strawberries
1
Wash the strawberries and pat completely dry. Slice the green top off each strawberry to create a flat base. Cut each strawberry in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, melon baller, or the tip of a paring knife, scoop out a small amount of the center flesh of each half to create a shallow boat that will hold the filling. Pat each strawberry half dry with a paper towel before filling since excess moisture will cause the filling to slide rather than sit neatly.
2
In a medium bowl, combine the whipped cream cheese and marshmallow crĆØme. Beat together with a hand mixer or stir vigorously with a spatula until completely smooth, well combined, and fluffy with no streaks of either ingredient remaining. Add the blue food dye if using, starting with 2 drops and adding a third if you want a deeper, more vivid blue color. Stir until the color is completely uniform throughout the filling.
3
Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a star tip for the most elegant presentation, or to a zip-lock bag with a small corner snipped off for an equally effective casual approach. Hold the bag directly over the center of each strawberry half and pipe a generous mound of filling into the hollowed center, allowing it to mound slightly above the surface of the strawberry.
4
Scatter toasted coconut flakes over the filled strawberries. Serve immediately or cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to serve
Deviled Strawberries
Ingredients
- 1 pint strawberries cut the tops off, slice in half long ways and core out a little of the middle to make a boat.
- 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese or softened block
- 1/2 cup marshmallow crĆØme store bought. Or you can make yours at home marshmallows, butter, and heavy cream
- Optional: 3 drops of blue dye for a patriotic flare
- Toasted coconuts for garnish
Instructions
- Cut strawberries and lay out on tray
- Mix the marshmallow
- CrĆØme, whipped cream cheese, and optional blue dye. Add to a piping bag or ziplock and cut off the end. Add to the tops of the strawberries
- Garnish with coconut flakes and serve! Or refrigerate till ready to eat!
