Strawberry season has well and truly arrived, lockdown or no. While you don't need much to enjoy the perfect strawberry-focused dessert (a bit of cream and you're sorted!), there are plenty of other ways to cook and bake with fresh strawberries. Here are a few of my favourite recipes:
Wholemeal strawberry & yogurt muffins
These muffins are on the healthier side, made with , wholemeal flour and natural yogurt. They are the perfect snack for the kids or great to enjoy for breakfast or brunch.
Makes 12
Ingredients:
125g softened butter125g light brown sugar125g granulated sugar2 tsp vanilla2 eggs125g plain flour65g wholemeal flour1/2 tsp salt2 tsp baking powder125g natural yogurt250g roughly chopped strawberries mixed with 1 tbsp flourOats, for sprinklingDirections:
1. Preheat your oven to 190°C and line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and two sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The resulting batter should be light and creamy.
3. Add the flours, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined.
4. Add the yogurt and mix until just combined, then fold the batter together with a spatula to ensure everything is well mixed.
5. Toss the strawberries in 1 tbsp of flour (so they don't sink to the bottom of the muffin) and add to the batter. Gently fold the strawberries in with a spatula.
6. Evenly distribute the batter between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle some oats on each muffin and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
7. Cool completely before eating. Store in an airtight container for up to five days or freeze the baked muffins for up to three months.
Strawberry shortcake with sweet brown sugar scones
Sometimes you want strawberry shortcake with a sponge cake and, sometimes, you want it with a sweet scone. I grew up on this type of shortcake, but have developed my own sweet scone recipe using brown sugar and vanilla.
Serves 12
Ingredients:
For the brown sugar scones:
500g plain flour125g dark brown sugar1 tbsp baking powder1 tsp salt125g cold, cubed butter400ml buttermilk1 tsp vanilla1 large eggFor the chantilly cream:
500ml double cream1 tsp vanilla30g icing sugarFor the shortcake:
500g fresh strawberries, sliced60g icing sugar1 tsp vanilla1 recipe scones1 recipe chantilly creamDirections:
1. Prepare the strawberries: slice the strawberries and mix in the vanilla and icing sugar. This will make a quick sauce for the berries as their natural juices are drawn out. Chill until ready to use (can be made several hours ahead).
2. Make the sweet scones: preheat the oven to 200°C. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix.
3. Add the cold, cubed butter and rub the butter in with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre.
4. In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, vanilla and egg. Add this to the flour mixture and mix until just combined (you don't want to over-mix).
5. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
6. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and lightly roll out to 3cm thickness. Cut into rounds and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Cool.
7. Make the chantilly cream: combine the double cream and vanilla and whisk until soft peaks appear. Add the icing sugar and continue to whisk until the peaks stiffen slightly.
8. Assemble the shortcake: slice each scone in half. Scoop the berries and then top with cream and the other half of the scone.
Chocolate, strawberry and mascarpone tart
If you're looking for a strawberry dessert with a bit of "wow" factor, this is the one – creamy, cool, tangy and rich all at once. It looks impressive, but isn't very difficult to make. The fresh strawberry puree sauce adds something really special and will help you use the strawberries that aren't as pretty or are about to go off.
Serves 10
Ingredients:
For the chocolate shortcrust:
128g plain flour30g cocoa powder30g granulated sugar125g cold, cubed butter1 small egg OR 1-2 tbsp ice waterFor the mascarpone filling:
250g mascarpone cheese250g whipped cream60g icing sugar1 tsp vanilla bean pastePinch of saltFor the fresh strawberry puree:
250g chopped strawberries50g icing sugar1 tsp vanillaFor the tart:
25-30 whole strawberries, hulled4 tbsp melted apricot preserve, for glazing the fruitDirections:
1. Make the shortcrust: preheat your oven to 190°C. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and sugar. Add the cold butter and, using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg or water and mix until it comes together in a ball. Chill the pastry dough for one hour.
2. Make the filling: in a bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, icing sugar and vanilla. Using a spatula, fold in the whipped cream until everything is well combined. Chill until ready to use.
3. On a well floured surface, roll out the chocolate shortcrust to about 2cm thickness. Carefully place the pastry over a tart tin and press into the tin, covering up any tears or holes that appear (use the excess pastry for this). Trim the excess dough from the edges, place a piece of parchment over the top and fill the pan with baking beans or pie weights.
4. Blind bake the pastry for about 25 minutes, until it's firm and browned around the edges (it will smell rich and chocolatey when it's ready, as well). Cool completely, then remove the beans/weights and remove the pastry shell from the tin.
5. Make the strawberry puree: add all ingredients to a blender and blitz until completely smooth.
6. Assemble the tart: add the mascarpone mixture to the tart shell and smooth evenly within. Top with the whole strawberries (hulled side down) and then fill in the cracks with the strawberry puree. Melt the apricot preserves and brush over the whole strawberries to glaze. Allow to set in the fridge for one to two hours before serving.
Strawberry season has well and truly arrived, lockdown or no. While you don't need much to enjoy the perfect strawberry-focused dessert (a bit of cream and you're sorted!), there are plenty of other ways to cook and bake with fresh strawberries. Here are a few of my favourite recipes:
Wholemeal strawberry & yogurt muffins
These muffins are on the healthier side, made with , wholemeal flour and natural yogurt. They are the perfect snack for the kids or great to enjoy for breakfast or brunch.
Makes 12
Ingredients:
125g softened butter125g light brown sugar125g granulated sugar2 tsp vanilla2 eggs125g plain flour65g wholemeal flour1/2 tsp salt2 tsp baking powder125g natural yogurt250g roughly chopped strawberries mixed with 1 tbsp flourOats, for sprinklingDirections:
1. Preheat your oven to 190°C and line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and two sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The resulting batter should be light and creamy.
3. Add the flours, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined.
4. Add the yogurt and mix until just combined, then fold the batter together with a spatula to ensure everything is well mixed.
5. Toss the strawberries in 1 tbsp of flour (so they don't sink to the bottom of the muffin) and add to the batter. Gently fold the strawberries in with a spatula.
6. Evenly distribute the batter between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle some oats on each muffin and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
7. Cool completely before eating. Store in an airtight container for up to five days or freeze the baked muffins for up to three months.
Strawberry shortcake with sweet brown sugar scones
Sometimes you want strawberry shortcake with a sponge cake and, sometimes, you want it with a sweet scone. I grew up on this type of shortcake, but have developed my own sweet scone recipe using brown sugar and vanilla.
Serves 12
Ingredients:
For the brown sugar scones:
500g plain flour125g dark brown sugar1 tbsp baking powder1 tsp salt125g cold, cubed butter400ml buttermilk1 tsp vanilla1 large eggFor the chantilly cream:
500ml double cream1 tsp vanilla30g icing sugarFor the shortcake:
500g fresh strawberries, sliced60g icing sugar1 tsp vanilla1 recipe scones1 recipe chantilly creamDirections:
1. Prepare the strawberries: slice the strawberries and mix in the vanilla and icing sugar. This will make a quick sauce for the berries as their natural juices are drawn out. Chill until ready to use (can be made several hours ahead).
2. Make the sweet scones: preheat the oven to 200°C. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix.
3. Add the cold, cubed butter and rub the butter in with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre.
4. In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, vanilla and egg. Add this to the flour mixture and mix until just combined (you don't want to over-mix).
5. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
6. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and lightly roll out to 3cm thickness. Cut into rounds and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Cool.
7. Make the chantilly cream: combine the double cream and vanilla and whisk until soft peaks appear. Add the icing sugar and continue to whisk until the peaks stiffen slightly.
8. Assemble the shortcake: slice each scone in half. Scoop the berries and then top with cream and the other half of the scone.
Chocolate, strawberry and mascarpone tart
If you're looking for a strawberry dessert with a bit of "wow" factor, this is the one – creamy, cool, tangy and rich all at once. It looks impressive, but isn't very difficult to make. The fresh strawberry puree sauce adds something really special and will help you use the strawberries that aren't as pretty or are about to go off.
Serves 10
Ingredients:
For the chocolate shortcrust:
128g plain flour30g cocoa powder30g granulated sugar125g cold, cubed butter1 small egg OR 1-2 tbsp ice waterFor the mascarpone filling:
250g mascarpone cheese250g whipped cream60g icing sugar1 tsp vanilla bean pastePinch of saltFor the fresh strawberry puree:
250g chopped strawberries50g icing sugar1 tsp vanillaFor the tart:
25-30 whole strawberries, hulled4 tbsp melted apricot preserve, for glazing the fruitDirections:
1. Make the shortcrust: preheat your oven to 190°C. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and sugar. Add the cold butter and, using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg or water and mix until it comes together in a ball. Chill the pastry dough for one hour.
2. Make the filling: in a bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, icing sugar and vanilla. Using a spatula, fold in the whipped cream until everything is well combined. Chill until ready to use.
3. On a well floured surface, roll out the chocolate shortcrust to about 2cm thickness. Carefully place the pastry over a tart tin and press into the tin, covering up any tears or holes that appear (use the excess pastry for this). Trim the excess dough from the edges, place a piece of parchment over the top and fill the pan with baking beans or pie weights.
4. Blind bake the pastry for about 25 minutes, until it's firm and browned around the edges (it will smell rich and chocolatey when it's ready, as well). Cool completely, then remove the beans/weights and remove the pastry shell from the tin.
5. Make the strawberry puree: add all ingredients to a blender and blitz until completely smooth.
6. Assemble the tart: add the mascarpone mixture to the tart shell and smooth evenly within. Top with the whole strawberries (hulled side down) and then fill in the cracks with the strawberry puree. Melt the apricot preserves and brush over the whole strawberries to glaze. Allow to set in the fridge for one to two hours before serving.
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