We have an abundance of full-flavored red and black raspberries in the garden this year and these sweet and savory crostini are a simple and flavorful way to showcase them. This recipe is mostly my husband’s invention–I just added the colorful berries. This would make a lovely appetizer if you are entertaining for the 4th of July. We will be making them for our annual 4th of July Block Party. If black raspberries are unavailable substitute blackberries. Also, I generally purchase tubs of crème fraiche, but since my local grocer stopped carrying my favorite brand, I have been experimenting with different recipes and have settled on one that is simple to make and keeps 10-14 days in the refrigerator. The recipe is below. If you don’t have access to crème fraiche you can substitute sour cream, ricotta, or goat cheese. Some friends gave me a jar of delicious lime-flavored honey which is what I used for the recipe and it complimented the berries nicely, but feel free to use whatever honey is available to you.
6 (1/2 inch) slices of crusty baguette
2 Tbsp. crème fraiche
1 Tbsp. lime-flavored honey
12 red raspberries
12 black raspberries
Preheat your broiler to high. Place baguette slices on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread each slice of bread with 1 tsp. crème fraiche. Broil for 1 minute until the crème fraiche thickens. Be careful not to burn the crostini. Drizzle 1/2 tsp. honey over each hot baguette. It will begin to melt and spread over the creme fraiche. Top each slice with 2 red raspberries and 2 black raspberries and serve warm. Serves 2-3.
Crème Fraiche
1 c. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. buttermilk
Place cream and buttermilk in a 1-pint mason jar. Stir or shake to combine ingredients. Leave on kitchen counter overnight. The next day it should be thick like sour cream. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks. Makes 1 cup.
great post