Strawberry Bruschetta

What could be better on a warm summer evening than a fresh dessert - with the crispness of mint and the sweetness of berries on your tongue? This weekend I was taken in by all the summer fruit in the store and came home with piles of strawberries, peaches, pineapple, grapes, mango, and ... I can't remember everything I had! My mind set to work on how I could use all this fruit before it was too late. We'll start with dessert first. Inspiration number one: Strawberry Blueberry Bruschetta with Mint and Salted Caramel Sauce.

Turns out, it was just as good as I hoped it would be. The mint and salted caramel are such an interesting, complex combination of flavors; it's a great brunch, afternoon tea accompaniment, or summer dessert in the evening. Give it a try for yourself!

Strawberry Bruschetta
(Quantities can easily be adjusted for need/taste)
1 cup strawberries, diced
1/3 cup blueberries, cut in half
3 mint leaves, chopped
salted caramel sauce (recipe below)
Baguette, sliced

1. Slice baguette into about 1/3-1/2" slices, brush one side with olive oil and broil on high until golden.

2. Wash and cut strawberries, blueberries and mint, and mix in a small bowl. When cutting strawberries, it's important to remember to cut the pieces small - if they are too big, they will tend to fall off when you try to eat it!

3. To serve, spoon the berry mixture on the slices of bread and drizzle the salted caramel sauce on top.

Salted Caramel Sauce
1 cup sugar
2 T light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. fleur de sel
1/4 cup sour cream

1. Add the sugar, corn syrup, and water to a medium saucepan and stir gently to combine. Set the pan over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture registers 350 F on a candy thermometer (if you don't have a thermometer, cook until the mixture is amber in color).

2. Turn off the heat and slowly add the cream (the caramel will bubble up quite a bit, so be mindful) and then the fleur de sel. Stir in the sour cream until the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool before using. May be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!