Sweet treats: Three delicious strawberry desserts to enjoy after dinner

Strawberry season is in full swing so it’s the perfect time to experiment with the tasty fruit. Here are three crowdpleaser recipes to try.

These summery strawberry desserts are the perfect after-dinner treat.

Strawberry Cream Cake

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

Irish strawberries are just coming into season so no better reason to make this super-light sponge.

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 25 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Baking

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 3 medium eggs

• 85g caster sugar

• 85g plain flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 300ml fresh cream

• 4 tbsp strawberry jam (best if it’s slightly warmed)

• 300g fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped

Method

1. Preheat a (fan) oven to 170°, line 2 sandwich tins (12cm diameter).

2. Whisk together the eggs and caster sugar until light, frothy and the mixture has about trebled in size.

3. Turn off the whisk. Stir baking powder into the flour, and then sieve one-third of the flour into the egg mixture. Fold using a metal spoon. Repeat two more times until the flour is gone.

4. Divide the cake batter between the two sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden on top.

5. Remove from the oven and allow cooling for 20 minutes before turning out of the tins and assembling the cake.

6. To assemble the cake, whip the cream to soft peaks. Take one of the cakes and place it on a cake stand. Spread the top liberally with the strawberry jam.

7. Top with two-thirds of the chopped strawberries then lashings of whipped cream. Gently put the second cake on top. Sprinkle icing sugar over the top of the cake and finish with the remaining chopped strawberries.

8. This cake is best eaten on the day it is served but will keep for a further 24 hours in the fridge.

 

Strawberry palmiers

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

These sweet little biscuits are a doddle to make

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Baking

Cuisine

 French

Ingredients

• 375g all butter puff pastry rolled out

• 12 strawberries, topped and quartered 

• golden caster sugar, for sprinkling 

• basil or mint leaves, for garnish 

• 1 egg, beaten 

• 500g crème fraîche or lightly whipped cream 

• 2-3 long pepper, crushed (optional) 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Place the rolled-out puff pastry on a lightly floured board and brush all over with the beaten egg.

3. Sprinkle the caster sugar all over generously. Loosely roll the pastry from each side as if rolling the pages of a book towards the middle. The rolls of each side of the pastry should meet in the middle so you have a sort of binoculars-shaped roll. Slice the pastry into 12 pieces and lay flat on a lined baking sheet, sprinkle a little more sugar over them. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

4. Serve the palmiers with some freshly sliced strawberries and either crème fraîche or lightly whipped cream. Sprinkle a little long pepper or black pepper on the strawberries and garnish with basil or mint leaves.

 

Strawberry cheesecake tartlets

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

With a gingernut biscuit base and zesty, creamy filling with vibrant strawberries, who could resist this summertime dessert?

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 375g gingernut biscuits, finely crushed

• 150g butter, melted

• 600g cream cheese, at room temperature

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• zest of 1 lemon

• 100g icing sugar, sieved

• 260ml sour cream

• 16 strawberries, halved, to decorate 

Method

1. Line the base of 4 loose based mini tart cases and butter the edges.

2. Combine the crushed biscuits and the melted butter and press them into the tart cases making sure the mixture goes up the sides to make a well in the centre.

3. Place into the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.

4. Whisk the cream cheese, vanilla, lemon zest and icing sugar until smooth. Add in the sour cream and continue whisking.

5. Fill the tart cases with the cream cheese mixture and place back into the fridge for about an hour.

6. Gently ease the tartlets out of their cases. Decorate with the sliced strawberries just before serving.