I was going to wait until the July 4th weekend to post this unbelievably easy recipe (because of the red, white and blue) but it feels so summery today and I’ll be traveling in the UK on the Fourth of July this year.

We Brits don’t celebrate Independence Day although I think we should as according to the history taught in our schools, America had became a rather troublesome colony – not only that, I believe Betsy Ross was inspired by our Union Jack’s colors….

This is so simple I feel almost embarrassed; I keep a screw top jar of this wonderful balsamic caramel syrup in my kitchen cupboard and it’s all you need to create an instant, summery, sophisticated, color-coordinated dessert, along with ripe strawberries and blueberries and the very best vanilla ice cream you can buy.

Notes at the end.

SUMMER BERRIES with VANILLA ICE CREAM & BALSAMIC CARAMEL SYRUP

Ingredients:

(Makes approx 1 and 3/4 cups of balsamic syrup – enough for the summer)

1 cup of packed soft brown sugar

1 cup / 8 fl oz / 284ml of good quality balsamic vinegar

To serve:

Fresh sliced strawberries, blueberries, vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche

Action:

Combine the soft brown sugar and balsamic vinegar in a heavy pan and slowly bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool and store at room temp in a clean screw-top jar.

Scoop the ice cream into pretty serving glasses; top with sliced strawbs and blueberries, then drizzle a large teaspoon of balsamic caramel all over to serve.

Notes:

Another idea; how about drizzling some balsamic caramel over warm, ripe, grilled peaches? Top with a blob of crème fraîche and perhaps some toasted almonds or pistachios. Simplicity at it’s best.

The balsamic caramel lasts for ages and there’s no need to refrigerate it. If you do, it will become too thick to pour. I figured that as balsamic vinegar and sugar last a long time, so should this…and it does. I made my current batch in December.

I’m partial to vanilla ice cream made exclusively from coconut milk; it’s so delicious and creamy – in fact the brand name is ‘So Delicious’ and is 100% organic. It also comes in chocolate and coconut flavors but for this dessert, stick to vanilla. Wonderful stuff!

Balsamic Caramel-Infused Strawberries with Crème Fraîche

Note: You can slice the strawberries and macerate them in a spoonful of balsamic syrup. Cover and chill in the fridge for an hour or so. Serve with whipped cream or my preference, crème fraîche  for a more grown-up dish of strawberries and cream.