This week’s dessert recipe is an easy crowd pleaser, who doesn’t love sun ripened Strawberries and cream this time of year? This recipe just pushes the classic dish into a bit more refinement, using macerated strawberries infused with basil and black pepper, a whipped chantilly cream and a shortbread crumble. I already have a delicious shortbread recipe up on my blog so I have linked it in the ingredients for you to follow.

This dish is perfect for a light dessert during the warm summer evenings, and even better with a glass or two of Prosecco. The recipe makes enough for 2 adults, so you can scale up or down accordingly. The Strawberries nd cream are best prepared on the day, however the shortbread crumble can be prepared a day or two in advance (just make sure it’s stored in an airtight container).

If you’re making this for maybe some fussy eaters, the dish is still lovely without the pepper and Basil, I know how a bit of green can put some people off.

For anyone gluten free, the shortbread can be made by replacing the Flour with half ground almonds and half gluten free flour. Equally for Vegans, swap the butter for Vegan Butter and Cream for a Soy alternative. I hope this helps those of you with dietary restrictions.

On with the recipe…

Ingredients (Serves 2)

  • 300g Strawberries
  • 1⁄2 batch Shortbread dough minus the chocolate chips
  • 300ml Double Cream
  • 2 pinches Maldon Sea Salt
  • 3 Tbsp Cater Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • Black Pepper
  • 6 Fresh Leaves of Basil

Method

  • Begin by removing the heads off of the strawberries and chopping into quarters. Place in a bowl.
  • Sprinkle over the Maldon Sea Salt, 1 Tbsp of the Sugar and a few twists of black Pepper.

  • Mix thoroughly using your hands, then set aside in the fridge while you prepare the shortbread.

  • Following my shortbread recipe linked in the ingredients, Produce a 1⁄2 recipe of the dough without the chocolate chips.

  • Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius.

  • Crumble the dough into a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and using a fork, break up the clumps of shortbread to produce a crumb like texture. Return to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

  • Break up the shortbread once more using a fork, and let it sit to cool to room temperature. eaten dessert

  • For the whipped chantilly cream, place the cold cream in a bowl along with 2 tbsp of Sugar and the Vanilla. Whisk until soft peaks are formed (when the cream softly droops at the end of the whisk.) Over-whipping will result in clumpy and oily cream. You want it to be light and airy, but still loosely hold its shape when spooned.

  • Julienne the Basil leaves by stacking them together and slicing very thin strips using a sharp knife. Mix the Basil into the Strawberries. The Strawberries should have released some juices and appear glossy and juicy. This way of preparing strawberries is known as Maceration.

  • Using bowls of your choosing, (I went for wide pasta bowls), divide the Strawberries between the two.

  • To the side of the Berries, dollop a generous spoonful of the cream.

  • Finally spoon the shortbread crumble to the bowl and serve.

Enjoy!