roasted honey bourbon strawberry crostini
Glam gameday snack or festive Valentine’s Day appetizer – can’t go wrong with either occasion.
These toasts pleasantly surprised me. For one, with the expeditiousness of creation – the process is so streamlined that it’s quite easy to finish it up in exactly the allotted time written in the recipe card. For two, my mom adored them – especially those juicy berries.
Holy shit, folks. Who knew roasted strawberries could morph into a brand spanking new obsession for me? Brother. They are almost on par with summery cherry tomato confit.
Couple the tender strawberry reduction with a splash of bourbon, lemon, and honey, and you’ve almost got some version of an old fashioned cocktail in a baking dish. Use these gems as a topper for a honey whipped goat cheese-swirled crostini and, most certainly, a champion is born. Just as will occur on Sunday, February 9 during The Super Bowl.
Or, save this for a Galentine’s or Valentine’s dinner to wow your sweetie or your sweetest pals. 35 minutes and done, and will definitely vanish quicker than they’re made.
Buried in Strawburries
The strawberries don’t quite turn into a jammy consistency, but they do release their natural sweetness in the oven. We don’t want to bake them down so much that they totally lose structure – rather, until they let their own flavor meld with the bourbon, honey, and lemon we add to the dish.
Toss everything together (make sure you pull the green tops from each berry) and pour into a baking pan. Roast 20-25 minutes until the strawberries just start to break down but still maintain their shape and likeness. Let the berries cool while you prep the rest of the components.
Next: toast some bread. I love sliced ciabatta for any kind of crostini, but baguette or a good sourdough are great too. Cut the loaf up into about 1/2 inch thick slices and brush both sides with olive oil. Broil for 1-2 minutes per side. I like a lighter golden hue, but if you want them darker, have at it. Just keep a watchful eye on the oven else your bread will turn to scorched breadcrumbs.
And might cause a fire. Not great.
To finish, the honey goat cheese. I’ve used this spread before and it really has become a favorite with all sorts of sweet or savory accompaniments. Very simple to make. Grab your food processor and whip together goat cheese, cream cheese (both softened), honey, a bit of lemon juice, and flaky sea salt. You might need to stop the whirring and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to incorporate all the goodness.
Once the cheese whip (that sounds weird) is smooth, spread that shit all over your crostini. A couple tablespoons should do. Then top with a few strawberries and be sure to enjoy an extra drizzle of the juice. Top with a few basil leaves and a lil extra sea salt, just cos.
Pro tip: leftover strawberries are bonkers on yogurt bowls, ice cream, oatmeal, peanut butter toast…honestly, almost any breakfast fixture you can imagine. Or just eaten straight out the jar. Keep the berries refrigerated for up to 5 days, sealed. Not that they’ll last long.
What a way to celebrate the start of berry season, too. Methinks these seeded beauts are gonna be a big muse come spring!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
The GOAT:
Whipped Goat Cheese with Herb Marinated Olives
Whipped Goat Cheese Dip with Chili Marinated Tomatoes
Honey Whipped Ricotta Caprese Toasts
Marinated Tomato Basil Avocado Toast
Roasted Garlic Whipped Ricotta Toasts with Avocado and Herbs
roasted honey bourbon strawberry crostini
Ingredients
- 4 cups strawberries, halved
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 loaf ciabatta or baguette, sliced
honey goat cheese
- 8 oz goat cheese, softened
- 4 oz plain cream cheese, softened
- 2-3 tbsp honey (to taste)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- flaky sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 9 inch baking dish.
- In a bowl, toss the strawberries with the honey, bourbon, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Dump into the baking dish. Roast 20-25 minutes until juicy and reduced.
- Turn the broiler to high. Brush each side of the sliced breads with olive oil and lay on a baking sheet. Toast 1-2 minutes per side, until desired doneness.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, honey, lemon, and salt. Whip until very smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl with a spatula as needed to incorporate all the goodness. Taste and adjust honey and salt as desired.
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of goat cheese over each bread slice. Top with a few strawberries and some of the juice. Sprinkle with extra flaky salt and serve with fresh basil, as desired.
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