Patriotic Strawberry Bruschetta

Slices of Strawberry Bruschetta on a white platter

Celebrate the summertime with Patriotic Strawberry Bruschetta. This dessert bruschetta features a homemade almond pudding, lemon curd, macerated strawberries and blueberries, too! Red, white and blue, these Patriotic Strawberry Bruschetta are the perfect dessert to serve to a crowd, whether you're celebrating Memorial Day weekend, July 4th or even Labor Day. Festive, colorful and utterly delicious, this dessert bruschetta is sure to impress!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 3

Total Time 3 45

Servings individual servings

Calories 212kcal

Ingredients

Almond Pudding

⅓ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups whole milk
½ cup heavy whipping cream
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon pure almond extract

Other Toppings

2 cups strawberries sliced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pint blueberries
14 teaspoons lemon curd
¼ cup slivered almonds
11 oz. angel food cake sliced into 14 pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Instructions

Make the Pudding

Whisk together powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt, milk, heavy whipping cream and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling. This should take around 6 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue whisking while the mixture cooks.
Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.
Stir in butter and almond extract.
Press plastic wrap against surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (and up to 3 days.)

Prepare the Rest of the Toppings

When the pudding has refrigerated for the allotted time, prepare the rest of the toppings.
Slice the strawberries (if they haven’t been sliced already), and toss with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Set aside and let macerate for at least 20 minutes.
Using a small skillet, toast the almond slivers over medium-low heat until a golden brown.
When golden brown, remove from the heat and let cool.
Slice the angel food cake into 14 pieces.
Brush the cake on both sides with melted butter.
On a preheated grill or grill pan, toast the cake on both sides, letting it sit for long enough to where grill marks become apparent on the cake. Flip and repeat.
Remove the angel food slices from the grill/grill pan when both sides have grill marks, and allow time to cool.

Assemble the Bruschetta

Place the cooled angel food cake slices on a serving platter.
Dollop 1.5-2 tablespoons of chilled pudding onto the angel food cake slices.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon of lemon curd on top of the pudding.
Top that with a tablespoon of strawberries and their juice.
Add blueberries. (I simply pressed a few into the pudding so they would stay put.)
Finish by topping with toasted almond slivers.
Serve immediately, or let stand in the refrigerator for up to two days!

Notes

Make ahead tip: This dessert can be made 1-2 days in advance! Follow the instructions, then cover with plastic wrap and chill until it’s party time. Since the angel food cake has been toasted well, it holds up to the toppings and doesn’t become mush. That said, it can also be made the same day and eaten immediately after putting it together.

If you don’t have a grill pan, toast the angel food cake slices in a toaster oven or a toaster. If you don’t have either of those, toast the slices in the oven.

Nutrition