After every rainstorm, there comes sunshine… and sometimes we even get lucky enough to see a glimmer of glittery colors stretching across the sky. If your life is feeling more like a rainstorm metaphor and less like a bright and colorful rainbow, well then it sounds like you need a taste of this Rainbow Fruit Salad. Layers and layers of your favorite fresh and juicy fruit are piled on top of each other to add a little sweetness at the end of your meal (or the beginning, or the middle, or whenever you want, really!). There’s even a fluffy, whipped, cloud-like cream for dipping or topping. Search no more, this Rainbow Fruit Salad is that glimmer of glittering colors you’ve been searching for, and it will certainly brighten your day!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup lemon balm leaves, packed, divided, can substitute mint or basil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 pint blueberries
- 4 kiwis, sliced into half moons
- 1 banana, sliced
- 1 pineapple, cut into bite-size chunks
- 4 clementines, peeled and separated into segments
- 1 small watermelon, seedless and cubed
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk, chilled
Directions
Step 1 –Finely chop 2 tablespoons of the lemon balm; reserve the rest of the lemon balm for use in the syrup.
Step 2 –In a small saucepan, add the sugar and the water and bring to a boil.
Step 3 –Boil the sugar-water until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 4 –Transfer the saucepan from the heat and add the reserved whole lemon balm leaves. Let it cool completely.
Step 5 –In a trifle bowl, layer the blueberries and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the lemon simple syrup.
Step 6 –Place the kiwi slices flat against the sides of the bowl and fill the middle with the bananas; then drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the lemon simple syrup.
Step 7 –Top the bananas with the pineapple chunks and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the lemon simple syrup.
Step 8 –Top the pineapple with the clementines and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the lemon simple syrup.
Step 9 –Top the clementines with the watermelon and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the lemon simple syrup.
Step 10 –Sprinkle the fruit salad with 1 tablespoon of the chopped lemon balm.
Step 11 –Refrigerate the fruit salad until ready to serve.
Step 12 –Skim off the thick, white part of the chilled coconut milk and reserve the clear part for another use.
Step 13 –In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the skimmed coconut milk and whip on high speed until it is thick and fluffy. Around the 2-minute mark, add enough of the remaining lemon simple syrup to reach the desired sweetness. At the last minute, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the chopped lemon balm.
Step 14 –Transfer the coconut mixture to a serving bowl and chill until ready to serve.
Step 15 –Serve the fruit salad with the coconut mixture.
