Strawberry Toffee Salad

This Berry Toffee Sweet Salad mixes smooth and crunchy elements for a tasty delight. It's great for gatherings with family or friends, featuring fresh strawberries with a velvety cream foundation and a crunchy homemade topping crafted from crushed pretzels, chopped pecans, melted butter, and brown sugar.

INGREDIENTS

• Cream Cheese: 8 oz, room temperature, creating the smooth base
• Sugar: ½ cup, adding sweetness to the cream blend
• Vanilla Extract: 1 tsp, enhancing overall taste
• Whipped Topping: 8 oz, gently mixed with cream cheese
• Strawberries: 2-3 cups, cleaned and cubed
• Butter: ¾ cup, melted, holding the topping together
• Brown Sugar: ¾ cup, for topping sweetness
• Pecans: ½ cup, chopped, giving extra crunch
• Pretzels: 1 cup, broken up, for the crispy layer

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 7:

Dish it up right away and dig in!

Step 6:

Mix the strawberry chunks and cooled toffee bits into the cream cheese mixture. Stir carefully until everything's combined.

Step 5:

In a big bowl, whip together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until light. Carefully blend in the whipped topping.

Step 4:

Cook the toffee mix for 7-9 minutes until it turns golden, then set aside to cool down.

Step 3:

Combine the broken pretzels, pecans, melted butter, and brown sugar in a bowl to create a toffee-style mixture. Lay it out flat on a cookie sheet lined with parchment.

Step 2:

Clean and cut up the strawberries, then put them aside.

Step 1:

Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Serving and Storage Tips

• Keep any leftovers in a sealed container for up to 2 days, but remember the topping won't stay as crunchy.
• Enjoy this salad right after making it for the best texture.

Helpful Notes

• Try throwing in some other fresh berries for something different.
• You can swap out pecans for other nuts to change up the crunch factor.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

• Chef Julia thinks letting the salad chill for 30 minutes before eating makes it taste even better.
• Chef Jamie likes to add a bit of cinnamon to the topping for extra warmth.

How to Make a Perfect Dessert Salad

Getting a great dessert salad means finding the right mix of tastes and textures. Pick ripe strawberries and make sure your cream cheese isn't cold when you mix it. You can make your crunchy topping ahead of time to save yourself some trouble.

Variations of Strawberry Dessert Salad

Don't be afraid to try different fruits like blueberries or raspberries, or pour some caramel on top for more sweetness.

FAQs

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

You can, but wait to add the crunchy topping until just before you serve it so it doesn't get soggy.

Is there a substitute for pecans?

You can throw in walnuts or almonds instead for the crunchy mix.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Fresh ones work best for texture, but thawed frozen strawberries will do in a pinch.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Nope, it's got pretzels with gluten. If you need a gluten-free version, just grab some gluten-free pretzels instead.

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Conclusion

With its mix of fruity, creamy, and crunchy layers, this Strawberry Toffee Salad is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Juicy strawberries, a dreamy cream cheese base, and a sweet toffee crunch all come together in this dessert. The toffee layer is baked into a golden mix of pecans, pretzels, butter, and brown sugar, while the cream base blends whipped cream with sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla. Add fresh strawberries for added sweetness. Best served fresh for the ultimate crunch.