So this recipe
definitely ranks up there in The List of Recipes I Wish I Could Force
You to Make. Not because I’m a big meanie authoritarian or
control freak (ahem) but because I want everyone to experience the
amazingness, and I have a feeling the idea of fruit soup may be a
foreign one to many of you. I get it.
Before my
sister-in-law, Erin, introduced this to me nearly a decade ago, I
don’t think I ever once found myself craving soup filled with
fruit. And now here I am. Craving soup filled with fruit. It is so
ridiculously yummy — not to mention unique and lovely (I’m
warning you now to be prepared for the onslaught of recipe requests
you’ll get when you make it; trust me on this one).
Served chilled, it’s
perfect for brunches, bridal/baby showers, holiday dinners, and,
well…you get the picture. It’s also made mostly ahead of
time which is perfect for when you’re running around with half
your sanity trying to prep for your party or holiday dinner.
One experience with
fruit soup and I think you’ll follow me willingly on board the
fruit soup train. I’ve randomly served it over the years for
this and that but this holiday season, I’ve decided to make it
an official part of our Christmas Eve dinner. It deserves a permanent
place in our traditions, plus I just really want my kids to think I’m
the best mom in the universe. Fruit soup will do those kinds of
things for you.
Although the base of
the soup is a sweet mixture of juice and tapioca, don’t be
fooled in thinking it mimics thick, creamy tapioca pudding. Instead,
the little bits of tapioca help thicken the soup just slightly and
enhance the texture while still allowing it to be fully classified as
soup (read: you’ll want to serve it in small cups or bowls with
a spoon).
Consider this a
must-make sometime in your life. And then be prepared to sit down
with your planner to figure out all the ways you can continue
incorporating it into your food routine. Fruit soup! It’s a
thing. Don’t let yourself be the last one to this party.
I use fresh fruit for
the strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, but you could
definitely try subbing frozen fruit. You could also change up the
fruit you'd like to use. My sister-in-law, Erin, loves to add bananas
and I believe she uses frozen raspberries, which gives the soup a
pretty red color.
The base of the soup
can be made several days in advance and refrigerated. Simply stir in
the fresh fruit before serving. Also, the overall sweetness of the
soup will be determined by the peach juice/nectar you use as well as
the type of fruit (and how ripe or in-season it is). I've reduced the
sugar from the original version but if you feel like it may not be
sweet enough, up the sugar to 3/4 cup.
If you want a thinner
consistency, cut the tapioca down to just 3 tablespoons and/or add
additional peach nectar or orange juice at the end.
Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cup peach juice or nectar (like Kern's brand)
3 1/2 tablespoons minute or quick-cooking tapioca (not large or small pearl)
1 quart bottled or canned sliced peaches, drained (cut the peaches into smaller chunks, if needed)
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup blueberries
Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine the
sugar, water, peach juice/nectar, and tapioca. Bring the mixture to
a boil and cook for 12 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat
and pour into a bowl or other container. Stir in the orange juice
and cover the dish. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until
completely chilled or up to several days.
Stir in the mandarin oranges,
sliced peaches, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Chill
until ready to serve (no longer than an hour or so once the fresh
fruit has been added).
Recipe Source: adapted a little from my sister-in-law, Erin (original version posted
on The
Sister’s Cafe – the Melanie
referred to in that post isn’t me, BTW, it’s my
sis-in-law’s sister; I know, confusing!)
Melanie Gunnell is a food-loving, chocolate-obsessed mom who has a desperate need to share
her favorite tried-and-true recipes with the world. In a past life she graduated from Brigham
Young University with a degree in public health, but for the past ten years, stay-at-home
motherhood has been her job along with blogging-from-home for the past five.
She resides in the brilliantly cold tundra of Northern Minnesota with her husband and their brood
of five children: four boys and one tiny, bossy girl. Dark chocolate (particularly the act of
shoving chocolate chips in her mouth whilst hiding in the pantry) is her coping skill of choice for
both the never-ending winters and the never-ending wrestling matches in her front room.