Strawberries Brulée
Strawberries are at the height of perfection, a sure sign of summer days. Add in a bonfire with s’mores, and there is nothing better. But since graham crackers are a no-no for those with gluten sensitivity, these bruléed berries are a delicious alternative. Whether dipped in chocolate first or not, dipped in crushed cookies or not, the combination of fruit and melty marshmallow topping is heaven at first bite. If you don’t have a little kitchen torch, try broiling these for just a second or two.
If you’ve made the Cappuccino Marshmallows, you already know the procedure to make marshmallow fluff. Beating this for a slightly shorter time keeps it soft and creamy, and, of course, there is no cappuccino component (though that may be a tasty addition!). The berries must be absolutely dry for the chocolate and marshmallow to stick, so be sure to pat them well with paper towels. Eat these right away for the best taste and texture.
Natalie of Good Girl Style joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just berries, chocolate, and homemade marshmallow. Want even more GF desserts? Check out Natalie’s Chocolate-Covered Banana Pudding Pops.
**Recipe**
- 1 pint strawberries, washed and dried (hulled or not)
- ½ cup chocolate chips, optional
- 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin (usually from 1 box that has 4 envelopes)
- 1 cup cold water, divided
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- If dipping the strawberries in chocolate first, carefully melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or a small saucepan. Dip the berries and lay on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Freeze until solid.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, place the gelatin and ½ cup of the cold water. Stir until there are no lumps and let rest while you make the sugar syrup.
- In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, corn syrup and the second ½ cup of cold water. Boil, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer. Slowly stream this sugar syrup into the electric mixer until it is all incorporated. Then turn the mixer on to high speed and beat without stopping for 10 minutes. Slowly stir in the vanilla.
- Dip the strawberries in the marshmallow fluff and place on a heatproof serving platter. Quickly use the kitchen torch to melt the tops of the marshmallow fluff, or stick the dipped 'mallows under the broiler and watch carefully, pulling when they are golden. Serve.
Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies 
