keeping my strawberries from uglifying -- help! (Updated!)

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I made some scrumptious vanilla-buttermilk cupcakes, filled with (SpoonNYC) lemon curd, with lemon-zest cream cheese frosting, and I'd like to top with a slice of fresh strawberry. Thing is, almost every time I see this done elsewhere the strawberry (or other hapless fruit) just disintegrates, browns, and well, uglifies.

Of course, I'll be placing the fruit on moments before I leave the apartment with the cupcakes, but it could be a full 2 hours before they are eaten. Anyone have any suggestions for treating the fruit? Dipped in egg whites and sugared? That kind of ruins the fresh fruit aspect. Oh, and NO GELATIN. (I'm a vegetarian.)

birthday cupcakes

Please leave your suggestions below in the comments, or you can email me at thepixeltrix at gmail dot com. I'm ever so grateful!



Edit/Update: Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your emails and comments and assistance. I'm very thankful to be able to tap into your collective wisdom. At present, it seems to be a toss up between a light layer of heated jam (such as apricot) to "seal" the strawberries, lemon-juicing them lightly, or just putting the slices on when I arrive. Or, heck, forgoing those strawberries altogether! I'll let you know tomorrow what I did and the results, and again, thanks for all your help, people!

xo,

Stacie

Comments

Unknown said…
I was always taught to use lemon juice to keep things fresh. Which might seem odd on a strawberry, but seeing as the rest of the cupcake has a lemon flavor it might not be so bad.
2/12/2009 9:40 AM
Unknown said…
Make your glaze out of agar agar instead of gelatin.
Agar agar is vegetarian. It's made out of seaweed.
2/12/2009 9:53 AM
Sugar Daze said…
Hi Stacie Joy,
These look so delicious!
When I attended Peter Kump's (now the Culinary Institute) in NYC, we made a fresh fruit "arc-en-ciel" tart that was great-tasting and gorgeous to look at. Wish I had a digital pic to send you. Anyhoo, we would warm a few tbsp. Apple jelly in the microwave til it's just a little runny (you can find it at any Dag), let it cool and then brush over fresh fruit with a pastry brush. Just a thin layer will do. It'll keep the strawberries looking fresh and I promise it doesn't add too much flavor. You really don't need more than a VERY thin coating. Good luck!
2/12/2009 9:58 AM
Anonymous said…
Usually to keep mine from looking dry and sad I brush a little piping gel on them. It might be made with gelatin though,I'm not sure.
Lemon juice or Fruit Fresh would probably take care of the browning problem, maybe if you brush a little karo syrup on them as well that will keep them looking moist?

http://www.kitchengifts.com/pipinggel.html
2/12/2009 10:10 AM
Lyns said…
We have a wonderful strawberry slicer in our shop at www.acupcakery.com It slices the berries gorgeously then all you do is lightly with a scant pinch sprinkle berry sugar on your fanned out sliced berry Enjoy!
2/12/2009 10:10 AM
Valtastic said…
I agree with Cassykins- lemon juice is the way to go. But since's Strawberries have a lot of liquid I'd follow this process.

Clean Strawberries
Pat Dry
Brush with lemon juice
Let sit a moment
Pat Dry
Place on cupcake

The reason for the additional patting dry techniques is so your frosting doesn't liquify or bleed.

I did this with my Strawberry daquiri cupcakes and the starwberries held up: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/photo.php?pid=30927224&id=18606657

(my photography skills aren't amazing but here's a look)
2/12/2009 10:59 AM
Uncle Beefy said…
I second what Little Miss Cupcake said! I just used it this past weekend on strawberry slices and they held really nicely. Plus it gives an extra polish to the presentation.
2/12/2009 11:04 AM
Anonymous said…
You can also use strained apricot preserves. Warm a small amount, strain and dip or rub the berries with it. That's what most pastry chefs use on tarts to keep the fresh fruit from turning gross.
2/12/2009 11:09 AM
Anonymous said…
Hi I love your blog! And I read it daily! I agree with Litte Miss Cupcake.

I use apricot jelly/jam loosened with water. I put this on my fruit tarts to give them shine, and the fruit doesnt turn brown, and icky.

The only other thing would be to pack the berries seprately and garnish right before serving.
2/12/2009 11:19 AM
Anonymous said…
Make a glaze out of neutral (apple) or same flavor (strawberry) jam or jelly by heating it in the microwave. Dip the strawberries in the thinned jam before placing on the cupcakes.
2/12/2009 11:22 AM
MusicalMom said…
Adding sugar to fruit breaks it down, so avoid the sugar! I'd probably try the lemon juice, or just slice the strawberries and put them on.
2/12/2009 11:23 AM
Anonymous said…
Another option similar to the apple preserves but found more commonly in pantries is honey. I'm also a vegetarian so I use that on my fruit tarts instead of a gelatin based product and it works great!
2/12/2009 12:16 PM
Anonymous said…
I learned in baking school to put apricot glaze on it to keep it from turning brown. I saw somebody saying to put apple jelly which could work to. Put your strawberries on a tray and brush them with a little bit of it and then put them on your cupcakes. Voilà!
2/12/2009 12:42 PM
MyPiinkDots said…
try a layer of kanten jelly =)
2/12/2009 12:51 PM
Jennifer said…
I'll second (fifth?) the apple or apricot jelly suggestion. That's what we learned in class, and it's always seemed to work great. Just heat it up, and make sure that you apply a really thin layer. Pastry brushes work great for this. I'd apply it, let it sit on a tray (maybe even on a paper towel or something) until you're ready to leave, then place them all on top.

I wouldn't use sugar - as sugaring strawberries always makes more liquid over time, not less.
2/12/2009 1:17 PM
Nicole said…
You could also make a tasteless glaze out of cornstarch and water, it's a good substitute for gelatin in a lot of things (although you have to be able to bring it to a boil).
2/12/2009 2:21 PM
Sadie said…
You can get a bottle of Fruit Fresh at most grocery stores - it stops the browning. I use it all the time for apple slices for my kids, etc.
2/12/2009 2:23 PM
Ginny! said…
I always thought lemon juice was an all-cure when it comes to fruit. I don't actually think lemon juice will be all that much of a "distraction" in the taste, either, because if you just sprinkle it on, it shouldn't hurt all that much.
I don't think.
Good luck!
2/12/2009 3:07 PM
Lyns said…
If using berry sugar on slices it is a scant amount 1/8 tsp then they naturally produce their own juice which is a lovely glaze. I would not put a pile of slices in a bowl and dump piles of sugar atop. Berry sugar is extremely fine and has done amazingly well on our slices. Everything mentioned in these comments all contain sugar. It is how it is applied that is important. We try very hard to keep all flavours natural. The slicer helps as it does not bruise the fruit. You can even leave the greenery on the berry. Before we slice our berries we make sure they are well dried. The reason we do not use gelatine, jelly or the like is that you can actually pull this jelly like substance off your natural berry. Is there berry sugar in the USA?
2/12/2009 3:20 PM
Anonymous said…
Have you ever used agar-agar? It's veggie (made from seaweed) and works like gelatin. You can buy it in most Japanese food stores.
2/12/2009 9:53 PM
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