Crema alla Fragola – Homemade Strawberry Cream Liqueur from Domenica Marchetti
Adri’s Great Blog Cook-a-thon #8
Got strawberries? Got a lot of strawberries? Domenica Marchetti has the answer. Make Crema alla Fragola, Strawberry Cream Liqueur. Welcome back to my Blog Cook-a-thon. I know. You thought I was done with it. It has been a while. Apologies, but the project got away from me.
A couple of months ago cookbook author and food writer Domenica Marchetti posted a photo of a Strawberry Milkshake on Facebook. Remarkably, I had never tasted a Strawberry Milkshake, but I figured that since berry season would soon be upon us it wouldn’t be long before I could try one. Patience after all, is a virtue. In short order Domenica followed her milkshake shot with one of Crema alla Fragola. While I could surely be patient and wait for the milkshake, there was no waiting to start the strawberry liqueur. After all, it needed to infuse for three days. I would not ask Job to wait to get started on that one.
It sounded simple enough. Wash and hull the strawberries, and cover with vodka. Wait two or three days. Heat milk, cream and sugar. Add vanillina (Italian sweetened vanilla powder.) Strain both mixtures, cool and combine. The way I saw it, I was already halfway there, the Absolut vodka resting quietly in my pantry, the sugar and vanillina perched close by. What could possibly go wrong?
Exhausted Strawberries
I decided to start with a half batch, using just 1¼ cups of vodka rather than the 2½ cups called out in Domenica’s recipe and halving all the other ingredients. The berries looked beautiful in their bath of vodka, and as the hours and then days passed the vodka took on the most glorious clear ruby red hue. A funny thing happened on the way to the finished product. I checked my math. Then I checked the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences standards for weights and measures.
Strawberry Cream Liqueur
I discovered that my half batch of strawberry and vodka infusion was not a half batch at all, but rather double strength (in terms of fruit) batch. A quart of strawberries is equal to 1¼ to 1½ pounds of berries. I neglected to halve the berries. I never was any good at math.
This was the happiest of kitchen accidents. Call it Crema sbagliato (bungled cream.) The liqueur was a beautiful shade of pink, creamy, not overly sweet, with a kiss of vanilla and bright strawberry flavor. With double the amount of fruit, my Crema sbagliato was fantastic. It was the proverbial win-win situation. I got something fabulous, and Domenica got another test.
I knew this idea would keep me busy right through berry season. I went to the Farmer’s Market and picked up some blackberries.
Huge and sweet, like jewels they rested in their Absolut spa giving forth their essence. Again, the liqueur was smooth and creamy, this time sporting deep blackberry flavor. Next up were the blueberries. This time the liqueur was a beautiful pale blue-purple color with an elegant understated blueberry flavor. Currently, nestled in the cool darkness of my pantry is a large Ball jar of raspberries enjoying a boozy soak.
Blackberry Cream Liqueur
Remember that the end product will only be as good as the ingredients. Use ripe fruit for optimum flavor, and don’t skimp on the vodka. Use a fine brand such as Absolut or Skyy. If you prefer to go organic, there are several fine brands available.
Once made, the liqueur keeps just a few days in the refrigerator, but does beautifully in the freezer. Because of the high concentration of alcohol, the cream liqueur does not freeze into a solid mass. Instead it becomes a semi-firm slushy treat that begs the passerby to grab a spoon and dip in. Try this once, and it will become standard fare in your summer kitchen.
Click here to go to DomenicaCooks for the original recipe. Grazie, Domenica!
Cook’s Notes: A couple of weeks ago I made the strawberry version and followed Domenica’s directions, correctly this time. I had not saved any of my first batch, so I am going on memory here, but the two were very similar in flavor, with the double fruit version not being appreciably more fruity in flavor than Domenica’s version. (In order to cover the full volume of berries with half the vodka, you must select very small berries and pack them very tightly, as you would for canning. If necessary, you can add more vodka to cover.) My advice is that you follow Domenica’s recipe; you will be rewarded with a positively spectacular cream liqueur.
I used small Ball jars and the spiffy Plastic Storage Caps to freeze the crema. The small jars make a perfect gift size, and the plastic caps make for no-hassle opening and closing. Click here to go to the Ball site for info on the caps.
Note: You can click on any picture for a larger image, and to see a slide show!
I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.
Sunday, July 7th 2013 at 6:28 pm |
We have a great crop of. Marionberries this year. Have been eating them with fat-free half and half or just plain — so good. Trying to watch calories or I would make a nice crisp or cobbler. Absolut in the frig, so I should definitely try this out.
Sunday, July 7th 2013 at 6:32 pm |
Hi Marie,
I hope you try this. It is fabulous, and I love having it in my freezer. I walk by, grab a spoon and take a scoop – Mother’s Little Helper!
Sunday, July 7th 2013 at 9:11 pm |
Grazie Domenica, grazie Adri, una ricetta fantastica ! Buona settimana, un abbraccio !
Sunday, July 7th 2013 at 10:48 pm |
Grazie Chiara!
Fantastica, davvero! Un bacione!
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 6:43 am |
Grazie Chiara xx
Sunday, July 7th 2013 at 11:07 pm |
Looks amazing Adri! I’ll have to try it as soon as I get a chance.
Sunday, July 7th 2013 at 11:29 pm |
Thanks, Deborah,
It really is great – a fruit drink for grown-ups!
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 6:38 am |
Our strawberry season is over but I have some lovely raspberries that would make a delicious drink. This would be a delicious little after dinner treat.
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 6:57 am |
Hi Cathy,
I’m sorry you missed the strawberry season, but you can keep this in mind for next year. This year I bet you will enjoy it with raspberries! This one is a complete delight. Thanks for stopping by!
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 6:43 am |
Adri, you’ve taken my recipe and run with it. Love what you’ve done and I can’t wait to follow. Thanks for the shout-out cara amica. I hope you are well and enjoying summer. Your photos, by the way, are lovely. XO
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 7:02 am |
Ciao Domenica,
This is so good. I am really glad that you wrote about this, otherwise I would have been completely unaware, and that would have been a crime. I was amazed at the true bright strawberry flavor. This really is sublime. I will pass your compliments on the photos on to Bart; he took almost all of them, and he edited them as well. Un bacione!
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 7:10 am |
Ciao Adri! It’s finally summer here in London and the strawberries in the allotment are ripening! Wimbledon is over so I forget about Pimm’s and use Vodka instead (Absolut is my favourite!). What a delicious cream.
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 7:43 am |
Hi Rita,
Indeed, Wimbledon is over and with it goes the Pimm’s. It’s time for something new, and I bet you will love this. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy!
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 9:26 am |
I just LOVE healthy alcohol…you can never get too much vitamin C from those beautiful strawberries!Beautiful post…and the double layered glass is fantastic…
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 9:39 am |
Hi Laney,
I’m with you on the notion of healthy alcohol. The glasses are made by Bodum. I love the floating effect they give to what ever they hold. I often use them for Panna Cotta. I’m glad you like them!
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 9:54 am |
This is perfect! A shot of vodka, a shot of healthful fruit, a shot of mother’s milk… all in one. And, by the way, great photo shots.
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 10:00 am |
Ciao Foodie,
I’m glad you like this one. The photo credit goes to my husband Bart. I’ll pass the kudos along!
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 10:16 am |
Mercy!! I may have to try that with almond or coconut milk…
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 11:17 am |
Hi Cat,
Oh, let me know how it goes! I love experimentation.
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 10:24 am |
Oh how simply divine. Why didn’t I do this when I had fresh strawberries? Actually, our strawberry season was not so great, but I wonder if fruits other than berries can be made into this cream? I’m thinking peaches. Any idea?
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 11:21 am |
Hi,
How about other berries? Blackberries, perhaps? I do not know how much flavor you would extract from peaches, but I say experiment. I suggest you chop the peaches, probably peel them too, just to expose the maximum surface area of fruit to the alcohol. Let me know how it goes.
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 10:53 am |
Oh my goodness Adri! This looks incredible. I’ve never tried something like this before and I am soooo intrigued! I have plenty of berries on hand too. Between this deliciousness & Laney’s Pirlo, I think things are going to get a bit messy around here 😉
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 11:23 am |
Hi,
It was new to me too, and I am so glad I tried it. The thanks go to Domenica Marchetti for posting this one. I’ve had great fun with this. I bet you will too!
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 3:54 pm |
Domenica Marchetti is in my top 10 (so are you of course). GREG
Monday, July 8th 2013 at 4:14 pm |
Hi Greg,
Yes, the woman rocks. It’s good to be in your Top Ten. You’re in mine as well.
Tuesday, July 9th 2013 at 1:54 pm |
Thrilled to see this made with blackberries–which are plentiful in our farmers markets these days.
love the bungle!
Tuesday, July 9th 2013 at 6:47 pm |
Hi Nancy,
The blackberries were great. And about the bungle, I just had to roll my eyes! I am glad you got a kick out of it.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 at 11:11 am |
I love your happy accident – aren’t those just the best?! And the blackberry version is brilliant, too. How I wish I had some of this in my house right now!
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 at 11:59 am |
Hi Amy,
Yes, happy accidents can be fun. I hope you try this. It really is amazing, but it is awfully difficult to stop drinking!
Thursday, July 11th 2013 at 12:28 am |
Adri, these pictures of your strawberry and blackberry creams are out of this world, I would love to have a few tastes of both of them. What a wonderful recipe idea. I am always thrilled to come across recipes like this, beautifully photographed, and different from all that I have seen before! Just wonderful, dear Adri!
Thursday, July 11th 2013 at 7:21 am |
Hi Andrea,
Well, this one is shared credit for certain. The recipe itself came from Domenica Marchetti, and the photography credit goes almost completely to my husband, Bart. I am so glad you liked this, and I hope you make it. It is out of this world.
Thursday, July 11th 2013 at 7:50 am |
What a fresh and unique idea! This sounds heavenly for summer strawberries! 🙂
Thursday, July 11th 2013 at 9:17 am |
Hi Jen,
I’m glad this caught your eye. It’s my new fave berry recipe. Thanks for visiting my site. I hope you return often.
Friday, July 12th 2013 at 11:49 pm |
Adri — wow, it looks like you are back in the saddle big time!! Good for you! You are unstoppable. Your drinks look absolutely wonderful, but what I love the most about this post is your incredible photography….you should do a separate post on how you get such wonderful pictures. Those close ups of the fruit in those Ball jars are divine, and I love your writing too “the glorious clear ruby red hue” the blueberries “nestled in the cool darkness of the pantry”, the blackberries “Huge and sweet like jewels they rested in their Absolut spa”– that’s what I admire so much about your posts — not only do you provide excellent recipes and cooking options but you cover everything else as well — you tell a good story, and you have perfect visuals. Bravissima!
Saturday, July 13th 2013 at 6:59 am |
Ciao Trisha!
Wow, but I am utterly flattered to hear such praise coming from you, a professional writer, professional photographer, and storyteller who also is also surrounded day in and day out by more of the same. I am doing much better. I am pleased to report that I am much improved. Your remarks about my writing mean the world to me. Through school writing never came easily to me. It was nothing but a chore, sometimes bordering on torment, and rarely was I pleased or proud of my output. Somehow food brought out the writer in me, but I feel like such a beginner. Thank you so much for the kind words.
Truth to tell about the pix, the lion’s share of the glory and credit go to my husband, Bart. I think about what I want for the photographs, and what the story is that I want to tell, my very own version of a storyboard. He and I then talk about what shots will best do the job. We typically collaborate on selecting the props. Bart sets up the lights, his constant refrain being “Photography is painting with light.” Although I take some of the pix with my point and shoot Nikon, Bart does most of the photography with his more sophisticated camera. With an editor’s eye, he tells my readers what I want them to know. And even for those pix I take myself, it is Bart who does the photo editing. He does not use PhotoShop. What you see is what we shot, a fact of which he and I are particularly proud. I am very fortunate indeed to have him working with me. Otherwise my site would be a very different place to visit, and, I dare say, nowhere near as pleasing to the eye and senses. I’ll be sure to pass your words on to him. Maybe I can get him to do a “Making of” post! That would be fun.
Again, thank you for the kind words. You made my day.
Thursday, July 18th 2013 at 5:24 am |
This is SO my kind of thing. My favorite part of this is how you went crazy with the other fruits … and now I am wondering if this would work with gin? Or do you think gin is already so full of aromatics ?? I dunno … I sense an experiment coming on!
Thursday, July 18th 2013 at 6:43 am |
Hi Tracey,
Good question, and there is but one way to find out. Right off the top of my head I’d say blackberries might be the best fruit to start with, but about the gin, I am not so certain. Hendrick’s has the rose petal think going on, but I wonder if its cucumber notes might get in the way of the fruit. It would have to be the most floral gin you can think of, but I just don’t know if even still gin might have too much flavor of its own. The deal with vodka is it is so neutral taste wise it works well here. But I really hope you experiment. Let me know how it goes.
Sunday, September 1st 2013 at 9:24 pm |
September 1 is the official first day of spring down under; however in the south east corner of Queensland strawberries have been in season for several weeks. Since our distilling equipment is currently fulfilling its usual purpose, distilling essential oils. We do lavender, rosemary, several types of eucalyptus oils and just this past year when a neighbor did a massive pruning of the bay trees along his half mile long driveway we distilled bay leaves. I kept some of our home distilled spirit aside for the Crema alla Fragola. Despite having two engineers and a mathematician on hand we felt we should test the strength of the first step of the process. A funny thing happened on the way to adding the cream. After sampling the strawberry liquor, questions arose about the chance of any of us being lactose intolerant. All I can say is a second batch of strawberries is sitting in a cool pantry hidden by my maturing Christmas puddings and fruit cakes. I will not attempt the second step with company in the house. By the way, without cream it is delightful.
Sunday, September 1st 2013 at 9:34 pm |
Hi Aileesn,
Distilling essential oils – how wonderful. That must be fascinating. Will you be selling them? I love this news. That’s funny about the lactose intolerance question. I am glad you liked it “straight.”