Strawberry recipes

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Strawberry sorbet



Ingredients

* 250g caster sugar
* 500g strawberries hulled, plus a few to garnish
* 2 tsp balsamic vinegar , good quality
* 1 egg white

Method

1. Put the sugar in a saucepan with 250ml water, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Cool completely.

2. Whizz the strawberries in a food processor and push the mix through a fine sieve. Stir in the sugar syrup and vinegar.

3. If you are using an ice-cream machine, lightly whisk the egg white and add it to the strawberry mixture before churning the whole lot. Then put into a freezer box and freeze until ready to serve.

4. If you are using your freezer, tip the strawberry mix into a freezer box and freeze until it is almost set (check after 3 hours). Then break it up with a fork and tip it into a food processor, along with the egg white, and whizz it into an icy slush. Tip the mix back into a freezer box and refreeze.

5. Serve scoops garnished with a few fresh strawberries.

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Strawberry & Prosecco jellies

Ingredients

* 200g caster sugar
* 450g strawberries , hulled and quartered, plus 12 extra for decoration, quartered
* 6 sheets leaf gelatine
* 750ml bottle Prosecco

Method

1. Put 150ml water and the sugar in a large saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the strawberries, bring to the boil, then bubble for 5 mins without stirring, until the fruit has softened and the liquid is red, fragrant and syrupy.

2. Strain the hot syrup through a sieve into a large jug (be careful not to push the strawberries through the sieve as the jelly will become cloudy), then leave to cool for a few mins. Discard the cooked strawberries. While the syrup is cooling, soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water. When soft, squeeze the excess water from the gelatine sheets and stir into the syrup until completely melted.

3. Divide the extra strawberries between 6 x 200-250ml Champagne flutes or stemmed glasses. Open the Prosecco, mix it briefly with the strawberry syrup, then pour into the glasses over the strawberries. Chill overnight, then serve.

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Strawberry ice cream shake

Ingredients

* 225g strawberries , hulled
* 300ml cold milk
* 3 large scoops vanilla ice cream
* extra strawberries , to serve (optional)

Method

1. Tip the hulled strawberries into a food processor with the milk and ice cream. Blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Pour into tall glasses, top with sliced strawberries.

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Strawberry jam

Ingredients

* 1.8g small whole strawberries
* juice of 3 lemons
* 1.84kg jam sugar (not to be confused with preserving sugar)
* knob of butter

Method

1. Wash, drain and hull the fruit and put in a large non-metallic bowl. Sprinkle over the lemon juice and sugar, gently mix. Cover with a tea towel and leave overnight. (This helps keep the strawberries whole.)

2. Put a saucer in the freezer. Tip the fruit and juice into a preserving pan or a 4.5 litre/8 pint heavybased pan. Heat gently, stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Do not boil until it has.

3. Turn up the heat, then boil hard for exactly 4 minutes (use a timer). Take off the heat to test for setting point. Spoon a little jam onto the cold saucer. After a couple of minutes gently push your finger through the jam and if the surface wrinkles it is ready. If not, return to the boil for 2 minutes, then re-test.

4. Take off the heat and swirl in the butter. If the scum doesn't dissolve, skim with a slotted spoon. Cool for 10-15 minutes. (Pot when too hot and all the fruit rises to the top.)

5. Stir gently to distribute the fruit, then pour into warm sterilised jars. Put waxed discs on straight away, cover with lids or cellophane circles, then seal, label and wipe the jars. Keeps for 6 months in a cool dry cupboard.

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Strawberry & white chocolate cheesecake

Ingredients

* 175g shortbread biscuits, for extra flavour, try using lemon or ginger shortbread biscuits
* 50g unsalted butter , softened
* 200g melted white chocolate
* 300g full fat or medium fat soft cream cheese
* 200g fromage frais
* 225g strawberries , roughly chopped

Method

1. Put the shortbread biscuits in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin until they resemble breadcrumbs. Mix the biscuit crumbs together with the softened butter and press firmly onto the base and sides of a 20cm springform tin. Refrigerate until needed. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl in the microwave and set aside until needed.

2. Beat together the cream cheese and fromage frais until smooth and thick. Add the strawberries to the cheese mixture with the melted white chocolate and mix. Spoon the cheesecake filling into the biscuit case. Level the top and chill for about 4 hours until set.

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Strawberry Delight-Desserts

Ingredients

Basic Vanilla Icecream
250 gms. strawberries
1 tsp. gelatine (dissolved)

Method

Clean and halve the strawberries. Keep 3-4 whole ones for decoration.
These, slice into fan shapes as shown earlier. Beat icecream till soft and creamy.
Keep the beating dish in a bigger dish filled with icewater. This is to prevent
icecream for becoming liquefied.
Add gelatine solution, mix well. Use a decorative jelly mould.
Pour mixture into moist mould. Sprinkle half the cut strawberries here and there in
mixture.
Put in freezer to set well.

Just before serving:
Unmould onto a wide dish.
Arrange remaining halved strawberries along rim of icecream.
Decorate top with the sliced strawberries.
Serve instantly.