Fresh Fruit Base
When we were testing milkshake recipes for Bobby’s Burger Palace, I learned some interesting things about fruit-based milkshakes, especially about milkshakes made with fresh berries: Berries are very expensive. Berries are extremely perishable. Berries are inconsistent in taste (ranging from sweet to tart) and texture (ranging from watery to dense). All these factors presented a problem when we were trying to create a thick, flavorful milkshake. We needed to find an alternative, still using fresh fruit, that would produce a consistently thick and flavorful milkshake every single time. We found a company on Long Island that produces fresh fruit purees. The purees are thick and almost jam-like in texture, and they add incredible fresh fruit flavor while not compromising the thickness of the shake. Now the recipe from the company that produces the purees for us is top secret, but I have created something very close to make at home. In addition to providing a wonderful fresh fruit flavor, these bases will also keep in the refrigerator or freezer for a good amount of time—unlike fresh berries, which tend to go bad in a few days. Just add 1/4 cup or so to vanilla or chocolate ice cream for an intensely good shake.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 1 1/4 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the berries in a bowl (hull strawberries), add 3 tablespoons sugar, and gently stir to combine. Let the berries sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until they start to soften and release their juices.
Step 2
Transfer the mixture to a medium nonreactive saucepan, add the jam, and cook over medium-high heat until slightly softened. Coarsely mash the berries using a potato masher or the back of a fork and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency, about 20 minutes.
Step 3
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste the mixture and add the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, if needed, stirring to dissolve. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until cold and thickened, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. The fruit base can be frozen (in 1/4-cup portions, if desired) for up to 6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.
