Assorted frozen fruit (Recipe: strawberry fruit whiz)

Updated from the archives, with new photo and links, and a favorite summer recipe.

In the beginning (1973), Carl Sontheimer, an engineer who loved to cook, created the Cuisinart food processor.

Not long after that -- well, okay, fifteen years later -- I created frozen fruit whiz.

As a rule, I'd never opt for frozen fruit over in-season ripe fresh fruit, but individually quick frozen (IQF) fruits, prepared commercially or in your own kitchen, frozen at the peak of ripeness, retain almost all of their nutrient value. IQF fruit is 100% natural, with no added sugar or preservatives. It's trimmed and washed, and economical to use. Take what you need, and leave the rest in the freezer. To IQF at home, wash and trim fresh fruit and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze completely, then transfer to zip-loc bags.

I love to mix frozen fruit into fresh fruit salad. The juices from the frozen melt over the fresh (try this with frozen strawberries and fresh honeydew), creating a beautiful sauce. Add a squeeze of lime and some fresh mint leaves.

Keep several different frozen fruits on hand, to make a mango frozen dessert, cranberry soup, berry banana smoothie, mango lassi, or strawberry fruit pops.

Or, why not set up a batida bar for summer parties? To make this Brazilian "smoothie", combine in a blender 2 oz cachaça, rum, or tequila; 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries (or any frozen fruit you have on hand); 2 oz sweetened condensed milk; 1-2 tsp sugar; and 1 cup of ice. Latin markets are a good source of frozen tropical fruits like guava and passion fruit.

 
STRAWBERRY FRUIT WHIZ
Bananas give this dessert the consistency of ice cream; you'll never miss the fat. It's sugar-free healthy as can be, and as colorful as you want to make it. Serves 6.

2 large ripe bananas
juice of one lemon
2/3 cup unsweetened frozen strawberries, UNTHAWED
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice, chilled

Slice bananas and toss with the lemon juice. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, and freeze until firm (30 minutes or more). In a food processor fitted with metal blade, add frozen bananas, strawberries and cold juice and process until smooth, scraping sides of processor bowl as necessary. Serve immediately, or spoon into serving dishes, or wine or parfait glasses, and freeze up to 1 hour.

Variations:

1. Layer with, or top with, fresh seasonal berries, cut peaches or nectarines, or crumbled ginger cookies.

2. Substitute for apple juice: cranberry juice cocktail or unsweetened grape juice.

3. Substitute for frozen strawberries: frozen raspberries, mixed berries, mango, melon or pineapple.

[Strawberry fruit whiz.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Coconut avocado ice cream
Ice cream chocolate chip cookies
Chocolate-orange sorbet
Mango lassi
Lemons stuffed with sherbet

Comments

[Meeta]

I do spend a lot of the summer individually freezing berries and other fruit for winter. I am always thinking what the manufacturers can do i can do too LOL!
This is going to be a great drink to enjoy with the frozen strawberries/raspberries for sure.

[tigerfish]

Singapore needs this cold whiz everyday!

[Christina]

I keep meaning to freeze all the fresh summer fruit I buy at the farmers' market, but then I eat it all before I get around to it! But I love the idea of mixing frozen fruit with fresh fruit; I have to do this, soon!

[mae]

What can a banana hater do? Seriously, I don't like them at all, and recipes like this absolutely depend on them for texture as well as taste.

[Paz]

Awesome-sounding recipe!

Paz

[Patricia Scarpin]

Lydia, I'm forever thankful for the one who came up with the idea of freezing fruit - that's how I can bake with blueberries and raspberries, since they cost a fortune here when fresh!

[Julie]

I like your shades of pink picture and good idea for a summer drink. I'm always looking for drink recipes that don't involve the addition of sugar or other sweetners.

[Sandie]

Why is it the most obvious things about cooking that I notoriously gloss over?

"I love to mix frozen fruit into fresh fruit salad. The juices from the frozen melt over the fresh...creating a beautiful sauce."

This is a perfect example of today's, "Uh! Why didn't I think of that?" moment.

Seriously. When I do fresh fruit in salads, it's all about the seasonal freshness. When I use frozen fruit in a pinch, it's all about the convenience. But never have I thought to combine the two.

Does anyone else do this, or am I the only cook who finds it's typically the obvious that trip them up?

Lydia---thanks for this tip!

[noobcook]

Thank you for the tip on how to IQF at home ... may I ask how long can I keep frozen fruits in the freezer? I really love the fruit whiz ... looks like sherbet but even better!

[Hillary]

Looks magnificent. I tried making something like this once, using bananas as the base and it didn't come out as good as this looks!

[Marilyn]

Some great ideas here, Lydia! Frozen fruit is really a godsend sometimes...my daughter munches frozen mango and strawberry all summer long. Your "fruit whiz" looks like the perfect summer cooler.

[T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types]

It's amazing what one can do with frozen fruit when you don't have fresh on hand. I have made a blueberry crumble with frozen blueberries for years, and no one has ever known the difference.

[Cate O'Malley]

Totally sounds like something our six-year-old would love. He doesn't like smoothies, but I may have a shot with this. :)

[Lydia]

Meeta, I always mean to freeze more berries during the summer, but somehow they never seem to make it to the freezer -- too good to eat right from the bush.

Tigerfish, I remember being so hot in Singapore -- I think you're right about fruit whiz there!

Christina, same here -- I start nibbling on the way home from the market, and there's never enough left to freeze.

Mae, I'll ask readers for ideas for you. I will tell you that you don't taste the banana at all in this fruit whiz. Maybe tofu would work, or a piece of bread.

Paz, thanks.

Patricia, it's the only way we can get some of the Brazilian fruits up here, too.

Julie, what I love about this recipe is that it can be a drink, or a soup, or an "ice cream", depending on the proportion of banana to berry -- and on how hot it is on the day you decide to photograph it...

Sandie, the first time I tossed frozen raspberries in with fresh honeydew melon, and let it sit overnight in the fridge, I was catering a large party. When I stirred the fruit the next day, it turned the melon a beautiful pink color, and I knew I was on to something. Now I often mix in frozen berries, just to make a sauce for the fresh fruit. Do try it!

Noobcook, you can keep fruit for up to 6 months, as long as it's well packed and doesn't get freezer burn.

Hillary, try adjusting the amount of banana -- more will make it thicker, but also more bland, so you might need a hit of lemon juice.

Marilyn, I love that this has no dairy -- it's pure fruit. For kids I like to make parfaits, with layers of fresh fruit in between. And sometimes a ginger cookie on top.

TW, your secret is safe with us.

Cate, I hope this works for you. With no milk, it has a rich fruit flavor. (And try that cookie on top trick -- works every time.)

[peabody]

Sounds highly refreshing.

[Mike]

I'm always bad about remembering to freeze fruit. I usually acknowledge that fruit goes out of season when its too late. The whiz definitely sounds like a refreshing summer treat and bananas do great things for it. I used to live on smoothies from frozen fruits and a bit of yogurt...and every variant I made was always better if bananas were involved

[Megan]

it's in the mid-90s here today and this summer treat looks like a perfect way to beat the heat :)

[Lydia]

Peabody, that it is.

Mike, nice thing about this is that you can use good IQF fruit from the supermarket, and it's just as good in the middle of winter as in summer.

Megan, go for it! This takes just a few minutes to make, and really is refreshing.

[noobcook]

Thank you for the advice on the duration of freezing :)

[George@CulinaryTravels]

I just love that photo, it's so fresh & vibrant.

[Lydia]

Noobcook, you're very welcome.

George, thank you -- I'm really trying to improve my photography.

[rosie lovell]

this looks really wonderful!
as does all of your photography.
love the whole thing.
xxx

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

Rosie, thank you so much. Hope you'll visit again.