This Strawberry Apricot Dessert is made extra special with Mint Simple Syrup. It's a delightful light dessert for spring or summer. On its own or over ice cream, it's absolutely delicious!
While of course both apricots and strawberries are sweet and juicy on their own, sometimes it's fun to enhance them a bit with an additional flavor.
The mint simple syrup mixes with the fresh fruit to create a delightful refreshing and light dessert that makes everyone happy.
What is (Mint) Simple Syrup?
- Simple syrup is a mixture of equal parts sugar and water. To make this mint version, fresh mint leaves are added. (This recipe is slightly lighter with two parts water and one part sugar.)
- Simple syrup is commonly used in mixed drinks, coffee drinks and in various dessert recipes.
Essentially Three Fresh Ingredients
- mint - Choose bright green perky bunches of mint.
- strawberries - Look for strawberries that are bright red and have a natural shine, with bright green stems.
- apricots - Choose apricots that are a deep orange color. They should be a little bit soft but not mushy.
The only other ingredients are sugar and water.
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
How to Make it
- Add the water, sugar and mint leaves to a small saucepan, and place it over high heat. Bring to a boil and then immediately remove from the stove. Pour the syrup into a medium-sized bowl and let it cool until it's warm, but not cold.
- Add the fruit to the syrup, place it in the refrigerator, and let it marinate for at least 1 hour and ideally overnight. (You can make this up to 4 days ahead.)
- When you're ready to serve, use a slotted spoon to remove the fruit. (Save the syrup to add more fruit to later.)
What does Simple Syrup do to fruit?
- While the fruit keeps its form, it softens it a bit, making it melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
- The syrup adds sweetness, which is lovey when the fruit isn't quite as sweet as you might like.
- The mint gives the fruit a bright and refreshing taste.
Recipe Tips
- The longer you let the fruit marinate, the more intense the mint flavor will be.
- When and if you serve this over ice cream (which I strongly suggest!), after adding the fruit, drizzle some of the Mint Simple Syrup on top.
- Save any leftover syrup and add more sliced fruit to it.
Variations
- I love the apricots and strawberries together, though you can use all sorts of fruits, depending on the season and your taste. Raspberries, blackberries, peaches, pitted cherries and plums would all be delicious.
- You can also try other flavors of the syrup. Hazelnut Simple Syrup would be delicious, too.
How long will it keep?
This should me made at least an hour ahead, and can be made up to four days ahead of time. (It will definitely keep even longer, but will be best during that time.)
More Desserts with Fresh Fruit
- Grapefruit Brûlée Recipe
- Fresh Raspberry Cupcakes
- Turmeric Cake with Blood Oranges
- Strawberry Frangipane Toast Recipe
- Lemon Blueberry Cookies
- Peach Berry Dessert Pizza
I hope you love the strawberries and apricots in mint simple syrup as much as I do!
Minty Strawberry Apricot Dessert Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- about 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves, washed and dried (whole sprigs are okay)
- 1 cup strawberries, washed and dried, very thinly sliced
- 1 cup apricots (about 4 whole apricots), washed and dried, very thinly sliced
Instructions
- Make the syrup. Add the water, sugar and mint leaves to a small saucepan, and place it over high heat. Bring to a boil and then immediately remove from the stove. Pour the syrup into a medium-sized bowl and let it cool until it's warm, but not cold.
- Marinate the fruit. Add the fruit to the syrup, place it in the refrigerator, and let it marinate for at least 1 hour and ideally overnight. (You can make this up to 4 days ahead.)
- Serve. When you're ready to serve, use a slotted spoon to remove the fruit. (Save the syrup to add more fruit to later.)
angiesrecipes
A berry refreshing and delicious dessert...perfect for summer when the berries are in great abundance.
angiesrecipes
valentina
"Berry" refreshing! 😀 thanks, Angie. ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
Such a beautiful and light dessert… and our mint is mg crazy in the garden!
valentina
I imagine you have the most wonderful garden, David! 🙂 ~Valentina
Liz
What a yummy ice cream topping! I'd pick this over chocolate 100% of the time. Now if I could just find some decent apricots!
valentina
Thank you! I bet you'll start seeing beautiful apricots soon, Liz. They only recently began showing up all of here in southern CA. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Such a lovely summer dessert! Plus, the colours are so pretty together! This looks like a mus t try! Great use for our mint too (we have so much in the summer months)!
valentina
Thanks so much, Dawn. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
2pots2cook
Valentina, your photos are super beautiful !!! I guess the dessert also tastes great !!! Must do !!!
valentina
Many thanks, Davorka. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
We have a huge patch of mint, so I'm all set to make the simple syrup. This is such a lovely dessert -- nice seasonal flavors. Thanks!
valentina
Thank you, John! Ironically, mint is the only thing I currently don't have in my "kitchen" garden. I know it grows like crazy, so I should really plant some. 🙂 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef
Beautiful! I've had mint paired with raspberries, but why did I not realize that it would pair with other fruits? What a delightful idea.
valentina
I love mint with so many fruits. Enjoy and thank you, Jeff! 🙂 ~Valentina
Lori
Do you think you could use these fruits on a puff pastry?
Valentina
Hi Lori, Absolutely, though best with a thin coat of vanilla custard between the pastry and fruit, to keep it form getting soggy. Enjoy and thanks for checking out my site and recipes. 🙂 ~Valentina