Strawberry Waffle Recipe – Strawberry Season in Germany

Are you excited about the strawberry season in Germany? In this article, you will find an easy and tasty strawberry waffle recipe. Besides, you will also learn about the strawberry season, how to pick strawberries in Germany and the correct way to store strawberries.

Strawberries in Germany

If you still have not tried white asparagus in Germany, you definitely should do so during the white asparagus season. See my easy recipe for cooking white asparagus and making white asparagus soup.

While my beloved white asparagus season (Spargelzeit) is not yet over, my other favorite time has arrived already: Strawberry season! 

Strawberry, or Erdbeere in German, is one of the most favorite fruits in Germany. In 2021/22, about 3.7 kg of strawberries were consumed on average per person in Germany.

The strawberry season was probably one of the most exciting things for me when I first moved to Germany. In my hometown Hong Kong, strawberries are not as common. Since I was a kid, it always felt like a luxury to have strawberries. They were expensive and we normally saw strawberries only on cakes. 

When I came to Germany, I was so excited to see so many strawberries in supermarkets at a low price. Strawberries are not only tasty but are also healthy because they are rich in vitamin C and very low in sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fat. 

Strawberry season (Erdbeersaison) in Germany

Even though you may be able to buy strawberries all year long in supermarkets, their quality may not be the same depending on the season. During the off-season, you may find imported strawberries from other countries like Spain and Greece. Since strawberries are highly perishable, the imported strawberries usually don’t taste as sweet and juicy. That is why people all go crazy about eating strawberries during the strawberry season.

The strawberry season usually starts in April or May when the warm weather starts. Strawberries like warm days. So, the strawberry season can start earlier when the weather is warm.

Strawberries can be harvested over six or seven weeks. You will usually find the first strawberries in the market in May. These strawberries are grown in tunnels or glasshouses so that they are protected against all weather conditions. The peak of the strawberry season is in June. You will find many open-field strawberries at that time. Below is one of the strawberry fields that we went to in Germany.

Picking strawberries in Germany

The great thing about the strawberry season in Germany is that you can go pick your own strawberries yourself. Starting in late May or June, you will find many open fields where you can go and pick strawberries. Just look for the small strawberry signs. Or you can also use this website to find a strawberry field near you.

I have never picked my own strawberries until I came to Germany. It is a great activity and very rewarding. One great thing is that you can eat as much as you want when you are picking your strawberries. So, it is especially perfect for kids and is a perfect family activity. Below is my daughter enjoying her freshly picked strawberries.

If you like, you can also plant strawberries by yourself in your garden. We do that as well and get some nice strawberries at home. Of course, we do not get that many from home and we still need to go to the strawberry field so that we can have enough.

If you plan to pick strawberries on the field, here are some tips:

Bring your own container

The staff on the field will first weigh your container before you start picking. Then they will weigh it again with your strawberries inside when you are done to determine how much you need to pay. 

Pre-picked strawberries are available

For lazy people, you can also buy the pre-picked strawberries on the field. It is usually cheaper if you pick strawberries by yourself. Not only can you eat strawberries along the way, but you can also choose the best strawberries when you are picking them. 

Be gentle to the plant when picking

When picking, use your index finger and thumb to grasp the stem. Twist and pull slightly and the strawberry will roll into your palm. This way you will not destroy the plant. 

Pick the best strawberries

Remember that strawberries will stop ripening once they are picked. So, you should choose strawberries that are completely red with red tips to avoid the undeveloped flavor from strawberries that are not ready yet. 

Be prepared for the sun

Don’t forget to bring your sunscreen, sunglasses, water, and a hat. It can be very hot in the strawberries field without any shade. 

Plan how many strawberries you are going to pick

Think about how you are going to use the strawberries or with which recipes. It is very easy to pick too many strawberries without planning. And they have a very short shelf-life.

How to store the strawberries?

Strawberries have a very short shelf-life. You can store them in the fridge for around two to three days only. Here are some tips what you should keep in mind after picking your strawberries:

Keep them out of the direct sun

Try to keep your picked strawberries out of the direct sun and in the shade if possible. Put them in your car just right before you are leaving due to the high temperature inside a parked car.

Do not wash the strawberries before putting them in your fridge

You should only wash the strawberries before consuming them. Mold may grow if you wash them earlier. So, just put them in your fridge without washing if you do not consume them right away.

Don’t store your strawberries with a container that is too deep

Stacking the picked strawberries too high will cause damage to the fruits at the bottom of the pile.

Freeze the strawberries if you cannot finish all of them

Hull and wash the strawberries, gently dry them, and put them on a tray into the freezer. Once they are hard, you can transfer them into freezer-safe storage bags. You can either freeze them as a whole or sliced. 

Another way I like is to make ice-cream bars out of it. Just blend them together with some milk. Add some sweetening like honey or dates. Turn them into tasty ice-cream bars and store them for months.

Strawberry waffle recipe (Easy and fast)

German people love strawberry waffles. During the strawberry season, you can find strawberry waffles easily in cafés or restaurants. It is a great snack between lunch and dinner. If you visit your German friends in the afternoon, they may also serve you with a tasty strawberry waffle. 

There are many different ways to make strawberry waffles. The great thing is that it is very easy to make. The waffle maker and the electric hand mixer are pretty much all equipment you will need. I also use the mixer from Bosch, which is a great time saver. Below is my favorite strawberry waffle recipe. 

Strawberry waffle recipe

Total time: 40 minutes

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Yield: 12 waffles with this waffle maker

Ingredients:

200g already soft butter or margarine

160g sugar

3 eggs

8g vanilla sugar (1 pack)

350g flour

7g baking powder (half pack)

200ml sparkling water

200g Whipping cream

Fresh strawberries 500g

How to make the strawberry waffle?

1. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla sugar in a big bowl. Use a mixer to stir well. 

2. Put the flour, baking powder, and sparkling water into the mixture. Turn on the mixer again to mix well. 

3. Coat the waffle maker with some butter once and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer’s directions. Additional butter coating is usually not needed as the dough has enough butter inside.

4. With an electric hand mixer, whip the whipping cream until very fluffy. Add some vanilla sugar as well if you prefer. 

5. Wash and hull the strawberries.

6. Now enjoy your waffles served with whipping cream and fresh strawberries on top!

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Have you picked strawberries in Germany? How do you like my strawberry waffle? Leave a comment below and share your experience!