A Crunchy, Creamy Strawberry Dessert with Kiwi Coulis

Strawberries & whipped cream in phyllo cup with kiwi coulis

A typical weekday meal at my house does not include dessert unless, of course, company is coming. When there will be company for dinner, I like to have the dessert made before I get caught up preparing the rest of the meal. It gives me a sense of calm knowing that whatever happens, our meal will end on a sweet note.

Last time I made the Over-stuffed Roasted Vegetable Lasagna, we invited friends to join us. Because the lasagna is quite filling, I thought something light was in order for dessert. Looking in the refrigerator, I saw that I had some nice strawberries, an almost full bag of kiwis, and my trusty can of whipped cream. Looking in the freezer, I noticed the box of phyllo dough and then I got inspired. Before I started building the lasagna, I would bake some phyllo cups, clean the strawberries and make a kiwi coulis. At dessert time, I’d get out the whipped cream and quickly build the sweet ending to our meal. I felt calmer already.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos while I was prepping the dessert, but the process is easy and I’ll take you through it step-by-step. If you haven’t made a coulis before, don’t worry. It’s a fancy name for a sauce made from pureed fruit or vegetables. This kiwi one is uncooked and unstrained so it’s practically no work at all. I hope you'll try this sometime or be inspired to make your own version. It's delicious and just a little decadent.

Phyllo Cups with Strawberries, Cream and Kiwi Coulis

Strawberries: 

Clean about 12 strawberries. Leave whole or cut into pieces. Put aside until ready to assemble the dessert.

To make 6 phyllo cups:

4 sheets phyllo dough

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

¼ cup sugar

1. Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350º F. 
2. Butter the insides and rims of 6 large muffin cups. 
3. Keep sheets of phyllo dough stacked flat, covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel while you work with the individual sheets. 
4. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a clean, flat work surface. Brush evenly with about ¼ of the melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with sugar. Place 2nd sheet of phyllo on top of first and repeat covering with butter and sugar. Repeat with 3rd and 4th sheets of phyllo. 
5. Cut the stack of phyllo sheets into twelve squares. 
6. Place 1 stack of squares into a muffin cup so that it covers half of the bottom, gently press the dough against the side of the cup, letting the top of it hang over the muffin cup. Place a 2nd stack of squares, slightly over the 1st stack to cover the other half of the muffin cup. 
7. Repeat to make 5 more phyllo cups. 
8. Bake about 10 to 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. 
9. Let cool completely and then remove carefully from the muffin tin. 
10. Baked cups can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days before using.

A sweet treat for our guest Larry

Kiwi Coulis

5 kiwi fruits, peeled, ends cut out and cut into quarters

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp lemon juice

1. Puree all ingredients in a blender. Take care not to over blend as the seeds will come apart and turn the sauce brown. After pureeing, you can strain the seeds if you like don’t like the speckled look or have trouble digesting small seeds. 
2. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

To assemble:

1. Place phyllo cup on plate and fill it with strawberries and whipped cream.
2. Spoon kiwi coulis around phyllo cup.

Printable Recipe for Phyllo Cups with Strawberries, Cream and Kiwi Coulis