Since you have reached this page, you likely have some curiosity about what does macerate mean? To macerate something is to soften it by soaking it in liquid. As you know, there are not too many ways to prepare fresh fruit. You can wash it, maybe peel it if appropriate or chop it. However, macerating fruit gives you another added preparation dimension without cooking it. It only involves basic preparation. You usually hear the word used in recipes that include fresh or dried fruit. Macerating fresh fruit releases some of its juices, creating a sweet syrup.
There are many possibilities for liquids to soak your fruit in. Some of the common ones for macerating include: citrus juice, wine, rum, brandy and balsamic vinegar. A good rule of thumb: one tablespoon of liquid per cup of fruit.
Another way to macerate fruit is even simpler – sprinkling it with sugar. We remember back in the day when our grandma and grandpa had their farm and they grew their own strawberries. In June, when the strawberries were at their peak in Michigan, grandpa would go out to the patch and pick a bowl of strawberries for grandma to make fresh strawberries and biscuits. Hers was the best! She always prepared the strawberries by washing them, hulling them, and then slicing them. She would mix them with sugar in a bowl and let them sit for a few hours until dinner time. The results were wonderfully tasting strawberries with a rich, sweet flavor that was incomparable.
What is your favorite combination to macerate fruit?
You might also like:
Fresh Whipped Cream
Roasted Pears With Caramel Crème Fraîche And Pistachios
