Filling?

[2sdae]

I had someone who wants a fresh strawberry for valentine's day....hard to find fresh berries but that I can do, does anyone have a good recipe for strawberry filling? They dont want them in a store bought gel glaze...so I am not sure how to do it. I wouldn't want anything too thin or it would poss. leak out of or into the cake sides and icing.

[cakebaker]

I don't blame them...that gel stuff is about as far away from being real fruit as it gets. I use strawberry jam if I'm mixing it with the buttercream or I'll use a good quality fruit spread with additional gelatin mixed in for a pure fruit filling.

[2sdae]

How do you add gelatin to your fruits?<<<<do you mean to make gelatin or are you referring to the plain gelatin packets? I have the gelatin packages.

[Amanda]

2 1/2 cups fruit (btw, frozen isn't bad since you are adding sugar to it anyway)
2 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/2 Cup sugar


Cut up your berries into small pieces.
Put all ingredients in a sauce pan over med. heat.
Smoosh the berries as they cook so that you have small, soft chunks of real fruit.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and stir constantly until thickened.
Should be enough for about one 8 or 10 inch cake, depending on how thick you make it.
I apologize for the vague directions, I just do it by feel. I use this recipe for any fresh fruit filling. It works well, and is very easy.

[2sdae]

Thanks so much Amanda! That looks like a great recipe to try, I think it'll work for me. When you use it on layer cakes do you put down a barrier of butter cream then your filling to keep it from soaking somewhat into your cake layers?

[Rose]

Fresh Strawberries in winter?! I have the same issue with a cake due this Saturday. I explained long ago, to the girl that if fresh were available I would use, but the cost would be a little higher for them. I also explained that they are not at their peak so flavor can suffer. I also explained how many times I use fresh frozen (I buy them, you can also freeze yorself at summer and use in January!!!) and the flavor is optimum and even more pronounced. She tasted it from a cake I ended up making a few weeks ago for another friend and just loved it! Most fruit fillings I use, I make jam from them. Really really simple. Just sugar and fruit, and water if you use Rose Levy's method. Add preserves to your IMBC and viola, you just made another flavor or use the preserve alone, which is what I do when making strawberry filling.
I try not to use store bought jams as they contain mostly sugar and preserves have a lot of it too. The one I make is less sweet which I like if I am going to add syrups to the cake itself.

I don't use cornstartch. If you let it simmer long enough, it will thicken and color nor flavor are compromised. I don't use a dam barrier as I've never had a problem with it seeping out. Just get it thick enough.

[Rose]

You would need a barrier though if you don;t want it getting into the cake. I don't mind it and it doesn't soak too much. I like the way the red color shows off

[2sdae]

I use strawberries I froze in summer from my grandparents farm.
I keep strawberries, peaches, watermelon, apples, grapes, pears and rhubarb frozen every year for my cakes and goodies. In winter I do charge a little more due to they are not in season.

So making a flavored simple syrup is what I'll do and make a thicker version, like what you suggested in a preserve with them also.

[2sdae]

yeah, I'll prolly do that on a white wedding cake, but like a chocolate or even a yellow occasion cake I prolly wouldn't.

[Rose]

Your'e a fortunate girl! The closest i can get ro a farm is my backyard, and I don't have much of a green thumb! So off to the local farmers market I go...