When I posted the recipe for the Wayside Inn Carrot Cake this summer, I mentioned a block party I was attending with my folks. I love parties where everyone brings something – there’s always some “new to me” recipe to meet, along with a few new friends! Hey, it’s not always all about the food! This Citrus Vanilla Fruit Salad was a standout, and I just can’t seem to stop making it.
I assure you this Christmas version looked much better in person!
Brought by some dear friends of my folks, it was a welcome change in a sea of party food. Bright and fresh, with just a hint of sweetness and a touch of tang, it’s the kind of fruit salad that keeps you coming back for “just one more spoonful.” And the vanilla in the dressing? It rounds out the citrussy dressing takes all that beautiful fruit completely over the top.
About Citrus Vanilla Fruit Salad:
Of course, I immediately asked for the recipe and have made it three times since, with just a few touches of my own. I especially love that the dressing works so well with so many different fruits. I’ve even taken to making a batch of the dressing ahead of time, and when I need to round out a lunch or dinner, I just pull out the jar and drizzle it over whatever fruit is hanging around on the counter or in the fridge.
The simple dressing pairs beautifully with all kinds of fruit, which means there are endless possibilities for customizing the salad to your taste or to the season. I like to choose a “base fruit” or two—something plentiful, economical, and a little bulky to fill out the salad. Grapes, bananas, melon, apples, or pineapple are all good choices, depending on the time of year.
Then I add fruits that are especially gorgeous and seasonal. Maybe strawberries and melon in the spring; peaches, nectarines, and berries in the summer; and when autumn rolls around, pears, apples, and late berries.
Winter always seems to call for more tropical fruits, and some of these photos were taken just before Christmas. That’s why kiwi and pomegranate seeds top the trifle – a little nod to the season, with their festive red and green colors.
Citrus Vanilla Fruit Salad
Making the Dressing for Citrus Vanilla Fruit Salad:
Not only do I change up the fruit in this salad, but I also tinker with the dressing. And this little dressing for Citrus Vanilla Fruit Salad couldn’t be much simpler. It’s just a basic simple syrup – sugar dissolved in water. The original recipe suggests using brown sugar (see my post on Homemade Brown Sugar), but I think I prefer white sugar here; it lets the fruit itself shine through.
I’ve also taken to changing up the flavorings from time to time. One day, I drizzled a little spiced rum into the dressing instead of vanilla. In my defense, we’d had cocktails the night before, and the bottle was sitting there on the counter looking at me. It seemed rude not to. Every now and then, I’ll change things up and add a little finely grated ginger, too.
The possibilities really are limited only by your imagination – and good taste! 🙂 So think of this recipe less as a set of rules and more as a guideline – as long as you follow the basic proportions.
Make Your Fruit Salads a Success:
- Use lemon on items prone to browning, but don’t let fruit sit in the lemon, which could make it mushy.
- Bananas need to be thickly cut or they will not hold up well.
- Layer with the heavier, sturdy fruit on the bottom, those that are softer but hold up well next, and top with delicate berries or very soft fruit at the top.
- Pay attention to color and contrast when layering.
- For the freshest-looking fruit, don’t pack layers, which may crush fruit or cause bleeding, but do pay attention to each layer as added – check from the outside to see how it is presenting through the glass.
- Attempt to leave a little room at the top of the trifle dish so that the fruit can be tossed together when serving.
- Don’t make too far ahead, but fruits absorb the flavor of the dressing better between two and three hours.
- Pour the dressing slowly so that it can drip through the fruit.
Leftover Fruit Salad:
If you do have leftover fruit salad and it begins to look a little lackluster, don’t toss it! Instead, toss it in the blender with a little ice, juice, or yogurt for the most wonderful smoothies! Talk about a leftover makeover!
Saving Money on Citrus Vanilla Fruit Salad:
Now, if you’ve been in the store and are tempted to pick up the lovely precut packages of mixed fruits – don’t! Not if you’re budget-conscious, anyway. Four to ten times as much as buying your own, they’re not a money saver. If you examine those packages, you might find that you have quite a few inexpensive fruits with only a few of the pricier ones.
You can do the same in your fruit salad to bring it in on a budget. Choose for the backbone of your salad some of the cheaper (and bulkier) fruits. Depending on the season, those might be apples, bananas, grapes, honeydew or cantaloupe, and maybe naval oranges and pineapple. Then punctuate the fruit salad with the more expensive options, starting with what’s on sale and what looks good.
Citrus Vanilla Fruit Salad – a summery version
Citrus Vanilla Fruit Salad
A layered fruit salad, see post for suggestions on fruit.
- Total Time: 20 minues
- Yield: 10 plus servings 1x
- Category: Salads Fruit
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 2 oranges, 1 zested, both squeezed, about 2/3 cup
- 2 lemons, zested and squeezed, about 1/3 cup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, other extract or alcohol of your choice
Fruit:
- 10 cups of assorted fruits, cut in bite sized pieces
- lemon as needed
Note:
See my suggestions in the body of this post and my suggestions to bring this fruit salad in on a budget.
Instructions
Dressing:
Bring juices and brown sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in zest and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.
Note on amounts: the amounts of fruit juice don’t have to be exact, but for best results do try to get close; additional fruit on hand is always a good idea in case any of them are “stingy.”
Fruit Salad:
Toss any fruit in danger of browning (bananas, peaches, etc.) in lemon juice to preserve the color. Layer fruit in a glass bowl, sturdiest fruit on the bottom. Drizzle with the dressing two to three hours before serving. Toss just before serving.
Notes
Best if salad is made two to three hours ahead so the fruit picks up the flavor of the dressing.
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I’m sharing Citrus Vanilla Fruit Salad at Fiesta Friday 90 hosted by Effie @ Food Daydreaming and Lindy @ Lindy Mechefske.
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