How to make a tomato dessert?

Make a tomato dessert

Tomato-fruit associations

The tomato is certainly a fruit, but it is generally consumed as a vegetable, therefore in a salty version. However, its sweetness goes perfectly with sweet flavors. Moreover, it is more than advisable to add a little sugar to a tomato preparation (such as piperade) to break its acidity. And if we push the grammage, in this case, we enter the “dessert” category.

In terms of pairing, tomatoes go wonderfully with strawberries. In tarts, drinks, coulis, it’s the season for marriages. Similarly, raspberries will wonderfully awaken tomatoes. But be careful with the degree of acidity and sugar. You should always taste your preparation to balance the whole thing. And in summer, what better idea than a fruit salad made with cherry tomatoes cut in half, strawberries, raspberries, seasoned with a vanilla-lime syrup? The cherry tomato gives a sweet acidity; the strawberry brings the sweetness and sugar; the raspberry the acidity; the vanilla its enveloping perfume; and the lemon its pep.

In general, we don’t forget to think “seasonal” and to match products available at the same time. In the same spirit, tomatoes and yellow fruits work wonders in both savory and sweet dishes.

© Lisa Klein Michel

Discover the recipe for Strawberry and tomato soup with elderflower syrup

Aromatic herbs are all good

Tomatoes often need to be awakened by strong flavors. If anchovies, black olives, or garlic are perfect as a starter or main course, for dessert they will “work much less well necessarily” (mythical Bourvil)! No matter, aromatic herbs like mint, verbena, or basil are wonderful in sweet dishes. In syrup, coulis, infused in ice cream, custard, or simply chopped, herbs, used individually or in a mixture are always a good idea. And if you have never tried it, try making basil ice cream or whipped cream, and serve it with a nice slice of seared and caramelized beef heart tomato, garnished with wild strawberries, you will tell us what you think.

In the same vein, flower syrups such as elderberry or rose, bring an additional note to the tomato, while coating it with sweetness.

Mozzarella panna cotta with vanilla tomato jam

© Virginie Garnier

Discover the recipe for Mozzarella Panna Cotta and Vanilla Tomato Jam

The right amount of sugar

How to measure the sugar when preparing a tomato dessert? A big question, which does not deserve only one answer. First of all, if your tomato is hard as a balloon, it is probably better to let it ripen for a few days before serving it as a dessert… Otherwise, it will be a sure disappointment. In any case, when you want to serve tomatoes as a dessert, you have to choose the ripest possible fruits, and therefore the sweetest.

Then, the added sugar will depend on the other ingredients used. If we put strawberries for example, we won’t need much; on the other hand, if we play 100% tomato, in this case, we will have to balance everything.

We think of the candy apple that can be made with cherry tomatoes coated in caramel and sesame seeds, which can be served from aperitif to dessert without any problem.
Stewed tomatoes can also easily be transformed into jam to be served with sheep’s milk yogurt and crumbled shortbread for quick assembly.
You can also play the hardliners by offering a caprese salad with caramelized tomato slices, mozzarella di bufala, and tomato-strawberry-basil coulis.

The only rule when thinking outside the box is balance. The rest is imagination.

Cherry tomatoes with sesame seeds, candy apple style

© Lisa Klein Michel

Discover the recipe for Cherry tomatoes with sesame, candy apple style

Similar Posts