The UK Strawberry Season runs from May-September meaning it is the perfect fruit to enjoy through the Summer! With the warmer weather we had in April this year, Strawberries are v=already at their best! And what better time to enjoy them than over the May Bank Holiday Weekend?
We’ve put together a list of our simple favourite strawberry dessert recipes – enjoy!
Poached Strawberries with Mint & Champagne
Serves 10
For the Poached Strawberries
- 1000g Strawberries, trimmed & halved
- 2 Vanilla Pods, split & scraped
- 600ml of Water
- 200g of Caster Sugar
For the Champagne Cream
- 160ml of Champagne
- 8 Egg Yolks
- 150g of Caster Sugar
- 500ml of Cream, lightly whipped
For the Shortbread Biscuits
- 335g of Butter, softened
- 150g of Caster Sugar
- Lemons for zest
- 1 Vanilla Pod, split & scraped
- 500g of plain Flour
Method
- For the Shortbread, combine the butter, sugar, lemon and vanilla pods and mix until smooth and pale. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Press, wrap in the cling film and set aside in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees/gas mark 5. Roll out your dough to a thickened of 0.5cm and place in a shallow baking tray. While the dough is still raw, cut into small equal rectangles and sprinkle evenly with caster sugar. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes making sure the biscuits cook without browning.
- To poach the strawberries, combine all the ingredients in a large pan – apart from the strawberries – and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the strawberries, return to a simmer and remove from the heat. Pour into a suitable container and leave to cool in the fridge.
- Start on the champagne cream by whisking together the yolks, sugar, and champagne in a large heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the base of the bowl.
- Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and continue to whisk occasionally while it cools. Gently fold the cream through the cool champagne mixture.
- To serve, place some strawberries at the bottom of tall glasses, together with some of the poaching liquid. Spoon over some of the champagne cream and serve with the shortbread biscuits.
Eton Mess Ice Cream
Serves 6
- 250g of Strawberries, hulled & sliced lengthways
- 150g of Granulated Sugar
- ½ Lemon, juiced
- 160ml of Whole Milk
- 300ml of Double Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 50g of Meringue, lightly crushed
Method
- To begin, combine 50g of the sugar, lemon juice and strawberries in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate to macerate.
- Whisk the remaining sugar into the milk until it has all dissolved and stir into the double cream. Whisk in the vanilla extract before covering to chill for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Churn the vanilla base as per the ice cream makers instructions (normally about 50 minutes). 10 minutes before the end, spoon the strawberry pieces into the ice cream maker, leaving behind the excess juice. Churn for another 5 minutes, then add the crushed
- Depending on the size of your ice cream maker bowl. You may need to fold the meringue in with a spoon to make sure it all fits before churning for the final 5 minutes. Decant into a tub and freeze until needed. When taking the ice cream out to soften and scoop, because of the meringue chunks it will need less time than expected.
Strawberry Cheesecake Oreo Parfait Pots
Serves 4
- 12 Oreo Cookies
- 100ml of Double Cream
- 100g of Low-Fat Cream Cheese
- 2 tbsp of Icing Sugar
- 4 tsp Strawberry Jam
- 250g of Strawberries, hulled & sliced, leaving 4 wholes for decoration
- 100ml of Whipping Cream
Method
- Blitz the biscuits to crumbs in a food processor, leaving 4 biscuits for decoration
- Take 4 jam jars or glasses and sprinkle the crushed biscuit crumbs into the bottom of them.
- Whisk the double cream, cream cheese and icing sugar together until light and fluffy; swirl the strawberry jam through the mixture and spoon it over the crushed biscuits. Layer the pots with the cream mixture and sliced strawberries
- Whisk the whipped cream until it holds light peaks and spoon over the strawberries and cheesecake mixture
- Add a whole Oreo cookie and a strawberry to garnish. Serve straight away.
For everything food & beverage related, please call us on 01444 211334 or email enquiries@freshcateringandevents.co.uk.
