How To Build A Berry Bowl That Stays Crunchy Even After Adding Toppings - Tasting Table

"In addition to selecting a mix of quality fruit, a key to constructing the perfect berry bowl is layering a creamy base with succulent fruit elements, plus contrastingly crunchy toppings. To keep toppings like granola, cereal, and puffed grains crunchy, though, there is one important rule you need to follow: Add the toppings on just before serving the berry bowl."

"To make a berry bowl with the perfect balance of textures, first, place the cottage cheese or yogurt in the bowl. Then, place the berry mix on top before layering on the crunchy granola topping for a striking presentation and crunch. For at-home acai bowls or smoothie bowls, blend your fruit base right before serving the bowl for the best consistency, freshness, and chill."

Layer a creamy base such as yogurt or cottage cheese, then add fresh berries and finish with crunchy toppings for contrast. Add crunchy elements like granola, cereal, puffed grains, seeds, nuts, or flaked coconut immediately before serving to prevent syneresis, which causes moisture to seep from fruit or dairy and make toppings soggy. For acai or smoothie bowls, blend the fruit base right before serving to maintain freshness, consistency, and chill. For make-ahead bowls, assemble only the dairy and fruit portion and refrigerate, adding crunchy toppings at serving time to retain crispness.

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