A delightful and refreshing frozen treat perfect for hot days or as a light dessert. It’s customizable to your favorite fruits and easy to prepare ahead of time.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 2 cups fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
- 2 cups fresh or frozen mango chunks
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 1 cup grapes (red or green, seedless)
- 1/2 cup orange juice (or pineapple juice)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (optional, for added sweetness)
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional, for topping)
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional, for topping, such as almonds or pecans)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Fruit: Wash all fresh fruits thoroughly. If using frozen fruit, allow it to thaw slightly for easier handling. Slice strawberries, bananas, and pineapple into bite-sized pieces. Ensure all fruit is cut into similar sizes for even freezing.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine all the prepared fruits: strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mango, bananas, and grapes.
- Add Juices and Sweetener: Pour the orange juice (or pineapple juice) and lemon juice over the fruit. If you prefer a sweeter salad, add honey or maple syrup and mix well.
- Mix Thoroughly: Gently toss all the ingredients together to ensure the fruits are evenly coated with the juices.
- Freeze: Transfer the fruit mixture to a large, shallow, freezer-safe container or individual serving containers. Spread the mixture evenly.
- Initial Freeze: Cover the container tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. Place it in the freezer for about 2-3 hours, or until the fruit begins to freeze.
- Break Up and Stir: Remove the container from the freezer and use a spoon or fork to break up any large clumps of frozen fruit. Stir the mixture to redistribute the fruits and prevent them from freezing into a solid block.
- Final Freeze: Return the container to the freezer and freeze for another 2-3 hours, or until the fruit salad is completely frozen.
- Serve: To serve, scoop the frozen fruit salad into bowls. If desired, sprinkle with shredded coconut and chopped nuts for added texture and flavor.
- Optional thaw: If the fruit is too hard, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
Tips and Variations:
- Feel free to use your favorite fruits! Other great additions include raspberries, kiwi, peaches, or watermelon.
- For a creamier texture, you can add a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream before serving.
- For a more tropical version, use coconut extract in place of some of the lemon juice.
- For a more adult version, a small amount of fruit liqueur can be added.
- To prevent browning, especially of the bananas, make sure they are coated well with the lemon juice.