Strawberry Season can seem all too fleeting in Ontario. They're delicious when just cut up fresh and tossed with a little bit of sugar, maybe a little sparkling wine. They are great to jazz up a summer salad, and really shine through in these cream cheese fritters. A balance of sweetness and fattiness. The ultimate early summer treat. 

 

Ingredients
225g cream cheese
30g sugar
75g flour (AP is good)
1 egg
100g strawberries, quartered

In the bowl of a kitchen aid, with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl with a spatula and a good amount of stamina), paddle together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

​

Add in the flour and mix until smooth, scrape down the bowl. Add in the egg and mix until smooth. Add in the strawberries and mix just until some are a puree, and others are in pieces. Scrape the batter out onto a piece of parchment, and wrap it up like a little present in a 4x8" rectangle. Place in the freezer for an hour to get semi firm.

Carefully heat 2" of oil to 350F, in a heavy pot on the stove. 
Once the fritter batter has become semi solid, cut into 8 equal pieces. Working with two pieces at a time, carefully drop them into the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side, until deeply golden brown. You want to make sure that you are cooking them for long enough so that they are not raw and completely liquid in the middle. Transfer to some paper towel to allow the excess oil dry off.

Dust with a heavy coating of icing sugar, and serve with fresh strawberries...maybe even some vanilla ice cream?

​