Desserts That Incorporate Balsamic Vinegar Without Breaking You Into A Sweat

You may have dipped a piece of soft focaccia in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil for a sweet, slightly bitter and tangy taste paired with the bread. It’s dark, slightly thick, and intensely flavored. Balsamic vinegar originates from Modena, Italy and is usually made with pressed Trebbiano grapes, which are boiled to create a thick concentrate called grape must. The must is then aged in oak barrels for a while, a crucial step that imparts the vinegar with its signature flavor. Balsamic vinegar is not just used as a dip mixed with olive, but also in pastas, risotto, for salad dressings, vinaigrettes, marinades, sandwiches, sauces for roast meats and vegetables, but also desserts.

The dessert recipes below prove how versatile balsamic vinegar is — we’ve used it to macerate strawberries so it breaks down and releases its juices, to add some depth to a chocolate pudding, and used it to create a roasting sauce for stone fruits and berries.

Balsamic Strawberries and Cream

Ingredients:

• 450 gm strawberries
• 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 tbsp honey
• 280 gm vanilla flavored yogurt
• 355 ml whipping cream
• Fresh mint for garnish

Instructions:

• Wash, dry, hull, and chop the strawberries into chunks.
• Place them in a large bowl, and add balsamic vinegar and honey to this. Toss the strawberries, ensuring every chunk is thoroughly coated.
• Cover the bowl with cling film and let the berries macerate in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.
• For serving, layer vanilla yogurt, followed by the strawberries, then more yogurt and whipped cream.
• Use fresh mint sprigs for garnish.

Chocolate Pots de Crème

Ingredients:

• 180 gm Cadbury Bournville 50% Dark Chocolate
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 118 ml cream
• 118 ml milk

For the garnish:

• 115 gm mascarpone cream
• 118 ml cream
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 30 gm finely chopped Cadbury Bournville 50% Dark Chocolate

Instructions:

• Blend dark chocolate, salt, balsamic vinegar, vanilla extract, and an egg until smooth.
• Heat cream and milk in a large microwave-safe bowl for about 3 to 5 minutes (depending on your microwave). Let this cool slightly.
• Then add the chopped chocolate and egg mixture into the warmed cream and milk. Use a whisk to completely incorporate all the ingredients.
• Pour this mixture into individual serving bowls or a large serving dish, and let this refrigerate until set.
• Before serving, whisk the mascarpone, heavy cream, and sugar until light and airy.
• Add dollops of this cream topping onto pots de creme, then garnish with finely chopped chocolate.

Balsamic Roasted Fruit Cobbler

Ingredients:

• 5 cups chopped fruit like peaches and strawberries
• 120 gm flour
• 200 gm sugar
• 120 ml milk
• 45 ml balsamic vinegar
• 45 gm brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 113 gm butter
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 150°C. Then on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper spread out the chopped fruit and toss it with balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
• Bake in the oven to soften and caramelize for about 20 minutes.
• Melt the butter in a baking pan and set it aside. Then remove the fruit from the pan and crank the temperature to 180°C.
• Mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Add milk to this and mix well.
• Pour into the greased baking pan.
• Tip the roasted fruit with all of its juices onto the wet batter.
• Bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the batter is cooked and golden.
• Once slightly cool, serve with some whipped cream or ice cream.