prep
10 minutes
cook
30 minutes
difficulty
Easy
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
30
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Spoon sweets are accompanied by strong Greek coffee and can also be made with cherries, grapes, figs and apricots. Prepared when the fruit is in season, it is preserved to enjoy all-year round. I love serving spoon sweets with ice-cream or Greek-style yoghurt.
Ingredients
- 300 g large strawberries, halved
- 220 g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 2 cloves
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Greek-style yoghurt and dried rose petals (see Note), to serve
Makes 2 cups
Macerating time overnight
Instructions
Place strawberries in a bowl, scatter with sugar, cover with plastic wrap and leave in fridge overnight to macerate.
Place strawberries and juice in a saucepan with 125 ml water, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer strawberries to a bowl.
Add lemon juice to syrup and continue to simmer for 20 minutes or until reduced by half. Pour syrup over strawberries. Serve at room temperature or store in a sterilised jar (see Notes) for up to 6 months.
Notes
• Available from Middle Eastern food shops.
• Sterilising jars. It is essential to sterilise jars before filling them to prevent bacteria from forming. You can reuse any glass jars as long as the lids seal well. Or buy kilners (jars with rubber seals).
Photography Chris Chen.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Spoon sweets are accompanied by strong Greek coffee and can also be made with cherries, grapes, figs and apricots. Prepared when the fruit is in season, it is preserved to enjoy all-year round. I love serving spoon sweets with ice-cream or Greek-style yoghurt.
