Fruit Salad with Lactose-Free Soft Cheese
Fresh fruit medley of cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines, and plums tossed with apple juice and topped with creamy lactose-free soft cheese, whole cherries, and red currants. Optional sambucus flowers or mint leaves add aromatic finish to this light, refreshing dessert.
Ingredients
- 20 cherries, pitted
- 6 apricots, pitted
- 2 peaches, pitted
- 2 nectarines, pitted
- 4 plums, pitted
- 1 handful red currants
- 4 tbsp apple juice, unsweetened
- 1 cups lactose-free soft cheeseregular ricotta or mascarpone1:1dairycreamy
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- sambucus flowers or mint leaves, fresh(optional)edible pansies or nasturtiums1:1edible flowersgarnish
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Instructions
- 1
Remove pits from cherries. Halve three-quarters of the cherries and reserve the remaining quarter whole for garnish.
- 2
Remove pits from apricots, plums, and peaches. Slice them into pieces that are not too thin.
- 3
Transfer fruit to a salad bowl and dress with apple juice.
- 4
Mix carefully and let rest for 15 minutes to allow fruit to release its liquids.
- 5
Serve in a wide bowl topped with soft cheese, reserved whole cherries, and red currants.
- 6
Garnish with sambucus flowers or mint leaves if desired.
Tips
Rest fruit in juice for full 15 minutes to develop flavors and create light syrup.
Use unsweetened apple juice to let natural fruit sweetness shine.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving. Add soft cheese and garnish just before serving to prevent sogginess.
Pit and slice fruit up to 4 hours ahead. Combine with juice and let rest up to 2 hours in advance. Top with soft cheese and currants immediately before serving.
Serve chilled in wide shallow bowls to showcase fruit and cheese layers.
Common Mistakes
Slice fruit too thin to avoid mushiness after maceration.
Add soft cheese before resting to avoid it absorbing excess liquid.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
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General Alternatives
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