Source: Tasty https://tasty.co/recipe/grilled-pound-cake-with-berries
The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll on people throughout the world and we all needed a way to cope. A lot of my time throughout the pandemic ended up being divided between cooking and Twitter. One of the biggest blessings was coming across "food twitter" and finding a lot of great recipes. This is just one of several recipes I was able to try over the past several months.
Ease of Cooking
Tasty is a pretty amazing resource when it comes to finding simple straightforward recipes. If you're looking to spending more time at home cooking I definitely recommend giving them a follow on Twitter. This recipe was no exception. The ingredients are very simple and its a quick prep process which just includes slicing poundcake, cutting strawberries, and throwing them on a skewer. The most difficult part of the recipe is just getting comfortable with your grill temperatures because the poundcake will burn very quickly if you're not paying attention. The recipe called for 2 minutes on each side but in my experience 1 minute was the right amount of time at medium high heat. Another note on the difficulty, I was cooking more than just dessert this evening so I took a shortcut and used canned whipped cream instead of making it from scratch. Fresh whipped cream would have elevated this dessert but definitely would have added to the difficulty of this dish.
Ease of Cooking Ruling:
COOKING TIME
As I mentioned, I was preparing multiple dishes this evening and I needed recipes that would not be too time consuming. This dessert was just what the doctor ordered. The most time consuming part of the recipe was cutting up and skewering the strawberries, but no need to rush the process when you're dealing with sharp objects. I was able to grill up the poundcake faster than expected and stirring up the berries and topping with whip cream took a few seconds. I believe I completed the recipe in a faster time than listed.
Cooking Time Ruling:
FLAVOR
I served this dish to several people and everyone came away impressed. It is a great option for something light and sweet after a filling meal. The caramelization of the poundcake on the grill provides a slight crunch and savory flavor. Combine that with the creaminess of the whip and the sweet and refreshing flavor from the berries and we have a winning combination. I will say it wasn't perfect. I tried to cut down the amount of sugar in the recipe because a half cup of sugar seemed unnecessary at the time with roasted strawberries but I was incorrect. The sugar I did put in didn't add anything to the flavor so it was just a waste of sugar. I think adding in the recommended amount may have added some additional sweetness that I think was lacking. But if you want to make it more healthy just make it without the sugar it will still taste great.
Flavor Ruling:
VALUE
Unfortunately, this is a new aspect to my blog and I did not foresee the need to keep the receipts yet, but this was a very cost friendly dessert. I purchased 2 Sara Lee poundcakes from the freezer section, along with the berries and canned whipped cream. We already had butter and lemons in the fridge and we were good to go. This made enough to provide dessert for a dinner party of about 8.
My Value Ruling:
OVERALL
I will definitely be making this recipe again, and would encourage any of my readers to give it a try. The recipe is easy, tasty, quick, and cost effective, what more can you ask for?
My Overall Ruling: 5 out of 5 Gavels
TIPS
The recipe is pretty great as is, but there are some things that could have improved the cooking experience and the overall flavor. 1. If you have the time and equipment, go the extra mile and make fresh whipped cream from scratch. 2. If you have a sweet tooth like me do not skimp on the sugar. 3. To avoid the wooden skewers from burning and then breaking off during the grilling process dump them in water before putting them on the grill.