These Fruit Cups are made extra special by the addition of one little extra ingredient to your regular fruit salad.
This little addition is an ingredient that has been around for years, and is often used in drinks and cocktails. What is it? The colour of the Festive Fruit Cups might give you an idea...
Ingredient notes
The magic ingredient here is grenadine.
It's the red-coloured syrup that turns lemonade into every kid's dream drink – the "Fire Engine." It adds the warmth of the sun to a "Tequila Sunrise."
And back in the old days, it always added a little festive cheer.
Here, I've used these old recipes as inspiration for a simple and sweet Christmas recipe: Festive Fruit Cups.
You'll also need sugar and water to make the grenadine syrup.
Apart from the grenadine, the other star ingredient is, of course, the fruit. You can use any mix of fruit you like, but here I've used:
- watermelon
- strawberries
- grapes
- mango
- pear
- raspberries
- banana
- apple
- mint leaves (to decorate).
How to make Fruit Cups
Start by making a grenadine syrup.
You'll need to combine ¼ cup of sugar with ¼ cup of water and heat until dissolved. Don't bring to the boil! Now add two tablespoons of grenadine and set aside to cool.
You'll need about enough fruit to squeeze onto a large dinner plate so that you end up with 6 cups of diced fruit.
The fruit should be chopped into small cubes, removing any seeds, and stirred to combine and mix the fruits.
If you're using banana, apple or another fruit that tends to brown, squeeze a little lemon juice on that fruit before adding it to the mix.
Next, just pour the syrup over your diced fruit. Ideally, sit the fruit salad in the fridge to allow the fruity flavours to develop for a couple of hours.
Serving and storage
To serve, spoon fruit into 6-8 cups, making sure you scoop some of the syrup into each cup. Decorate with mint leaves and pieces of strawberries or raspberries for a festive touch.
Your fruit cups should last for a day or two in the fridge provided you cover with food wrap.
Looking for other delicious fruit desserts?
You might like to try on of these:
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Festive Fruit Cups
Ingredients
- 6 cups diced fruit (watermelon, strawberries, grapes, mango, pear, raspberries, banana and apple – or whatever fruit you have available)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons grenadine
- sprigs of mint and extra strawberry or raspberries (to decorate)
- squeeze of lemon juice if using bananas and apples (to stop browning of fruit)
Instructions
- Start by making the syrup. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and stirring over low heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is about to start simmering.
- Remove sugar mixture from the heat and add the grenadine. Set aside.
- Dice fruit and place into a bowl. If using bananas or apples, squeeze some lemon juice over the pieces of fruit before adding to the other fruit to prevent browning.
- Pour syrup over diced fruit and, ideally, sit in fridge to allow flavours to develop for a couple of hours.
- Spoon fruit into cups, making sure you scoop some of the syrup into each cup.
- Decorate with mint leaves and pieces of strawberries or raspberries for a festive touch.
Notes
- To get 6 cups of diced fruit, you'll need about enough fruit to cover a dinner plate.
- Make a few hours ahead for maximum flavour and freshness.
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