Sweetheart Strawberry Crostini is very easy to make. But, you do have to have a few special ingredients on hand. For example, Mascarpone cheese. You really need to use Mascarpone cheese!
Why not substitute cream cheese?
While almost the same consistency as cream cheese, Mascarpone is more delicate in flavor. To me, it tastes like a thicker version of English Devon Cream or clotted cream. While cream cheese will work fine in a pinch, it just doesn’t send these cute little Sweetheart Strawberry Crostini over the top!
Sweetheart Strawberry Crostini - an easy, perfectly delicious recipe for Valentine's Day! #Valentine'sDay Click To Tweet
Plus, by using Mascarpone cheese, you are keeping all the flavors in the Italian family with the balsamic vinegar and the fresh basil – yum!
Here’s a bonus: mascarpone is almost half the calories of butter!
For the crostini part of this recipe, I used a buttermilk white bread. Any plain and simple bread, a bread unadorned with nuts and seeds, will do. I used my 3″ heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the hearts.
Then, I placed them on a cookie sheet and toasted them in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown. Both sides are toasted, so turn them over to toast the other side, too.
A tip: when cutting out the crostini for Sweetheart Strawberry Crostini, place your cookie cutter as close to the edge as possible. This will give you enough leftover area to make mini-sweetheart croutons! Stay tuned for that recipe coming soon.
Less waste, too. Save the leftover pieces to feed the birds or if you are lucky enough to live near coots (the waterfowl kind, not your relatives!), save them to feed the American Coots! I always have a bag of coot food in my freezer.
After the crostini come out of the oven, transfer them from the baking sheet to a cookie cooling rack. Because if you don’t, the underside of your crostini will get soggy from condensation. I actually let mine sit out on the cookie sheet all night and then assembled my Sweetheart Strawberry Crostini the next day. So, if making Sweetheart Strawberry Crostini for a crowd, you can make it in stages.
Chop up a few strawberries and macerate them in balsamic vinegar and sugar for at least an hour (or overnight). Chiffonade a few basil leaves and zest a lemon and then assemble. That’s it! These are sure to be a hit with guests or your honey!
Here’s the recipe for Sweetheart Strawberry Crostini:
PrintSweetheart Strawberry Crostini
Easy to make with a few special ingredients, these cute appetizers will be a hit with your guests!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 8 slices of buttermilk white bread
- 1 cup of fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
- 5 large basil leaves, rolled up like a cigar and cut into chiffonade strips
- 1/2 of lemon for zest (reserve the rest of the lemon and the leftover lemon for another use)
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 ounces Mascarpone cheese
Instructions
To make the Crostini:
- Preheat oven to broil.
- Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut one heart from each slice of bread.
- Place on cookie sheet and brown under broiler until golden, turning halfway for even browning.
- Remove from oven, flip each heart-shaped crostini over and brown the other side (this just takes a few minutes; don’t leave unattended or they may burn!).
- Remove from oven and transfer to a cookie cooling rack and cool completely or overnight.
To Make the Macerated Strawberries:
- Place chopped strawberries into a small non-reactive (glass or plastic) bowl.
- Add vinegar and sugar and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate at least an hour or overnight.
To Assemble Sweetheart Strawberry Crostini:
- Using a dinner knife or a butter knife, carefully spread Mascarpone cheese onto each heart-shaped crostini toast.
- Remove strawberries from the refrigerator, add basil strips and stir to combine.
- Spoon macerated strawberries and basil on top of Mascarpone, dividing evenly.
- Zest lemon over top.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Refrigeration time not included in “time” calculations.
Kitchen Essentials Needed:
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3-inch Heart-Shaped Cookie Cutter || Cookie Sheet || Cooling Rack || Small Glass Mixing Bowl || Wooden Spoons || Butter Knife || Spoons || Red Heart-Shaped Paper Doilies
Tootles,
Other Valentine’s Day posts from Toot Sweet 4 Two’s Archives:
Sweetheart Ham & Egg Breakfast
You May Also Like:
Valentine’s Day Puppy Chow from Erin at Suburban Simplicity
Valentine’s Popcorn from Ali at Gimme Some Oven
Mozzarella Cheese Filled Hearts from Beth at Hungry Happenings
What a fun and cute snack, looks great. Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!
Thanks, Laura! I had fun making them and the end result was delish!
How fun is this! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!
I’m glad you like them. Thank you for pinning to Pinterest! And, thanks for stopping by!
The flavor combination sound amazing and interesting. Love the heart shapes as well. Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday!
You are right – the flavor combination, while a tad unusual, works! A perfect appetizer to Valentine’s Day! Thanks for stopping by!
Those are gorgeous. I love the strawberry, balsamic, basil combo you came up with. And paired with mascarpone I bet they are divine.
Thanks for sharing on Tasty Tuesdays. Hope to see you back next week.
Divine is a good description! Thanks for stopping by!
These look so sweet – I love the combination of flavors you’re using! Thanks for linking up to Awesome Life Friday! We will be pinning this post – can’t wait to see what you’re sharing this week!
Thanks, Lynda. This is one of the most delicious appetizers I’m ever created, so I’m excited to share! Thanks for stopping by!
Looks so yummy & pretty! Thanks for sharing at the My Favorite Things Party! Hope to see you again this week! Pinned & shared
Thanks, Teresa! They are yummy!
Thank you visiting Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party this week and sharing your post! I have pinned your post to the BBPP Pinterest Board. Have a fabulous week!
Thanks, Sandy! Appreciate your support!
These make such a pretty presentation and they look delicious! I’m pinning this one! I found your link on Merry Monday.
Thanks so much for dropping by!
Thanks for linking up to Wonderful Wed. blog hop. These Valentine’s Crostini look and sound amazing!
Pinned!
Many blessings,
Diane Roark
recipesforourdailybread
ouramericantravels
Thanks so much, Diane!
Hi Carole, what a wonderful idea. This is exactly what I will do for Valentines Day. Thank you so much!
★★★★★
You are so welcome! Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for stopping by. Your crostini look fantastic. Perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Annamaria
Thanks, Annamaria, for the sweet compliment!