Wimbledon is finally upon us, with the tennis championship kicking off on July 1.
It will see two weeks of us glued to our screens, watching top tennis stars battle it out against each other.
And there’s no better way to celebrate the tennis than with that Wimbledon classic: strawberries.
If you’re bored of whipping up strawberries and cream, there are plenty of sweet desserts that will take things up a notch – like these three simple options from Russell Hobbs…
1. Eton mess tarts
Ingredients:
(Serves 8-10)
225g plain flour
75g caster sugar
110g butter
1 large free-range egg
2-3tbsp water
600ml double cream
100g icing sugar
1tsp vanilla paste
30g meringue pieces
10-15 strawberries, diced
150ml strawberry coulis
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 160C.
2. To create the pastry, add the flour, sugar, and butter into a food processor bowl and blend to create a breadcrumb texture.
3. Combine the egg and water in a separate bowl, and add to the mixture. Blend again until it forms a pastry mixture.
4. Transfer the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and finish bringing the pastry together. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
5. Remove the pastry from the fridge. Roll out to approximately three to four millimetres thick and then cut out disc shapes that are slightly bigger than your tart cases.
6. Lay over the top of each of the tart cases, carefully pushing the pastry in and tucking any excess pastry into the side. Dock the bottom of the pastry with a fork, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans.
7. Refrigerate for a further 20-30 minutes before cooking.
8. Cook the pastry tart cases for 15 to 18 minutes, then remove the baking beans and baking paper and cook for a further five to eight minutes until golden brown.
9. To create the filling, add the cream and sugar to a bowl and whisk until soft peaks are formed. Transfer to a piping bag.
10. To decorate, pipe some of the cream into each tart case and divide the strawberries, meringue pieces and strawberry coulis between the tarts.
2. Strawberry fool
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
250ml double cream
100g icing sugar
300g strawberries, diced with stalks removed
1 lemon, juiced
Method:
1. Firstly, blend 200 grams of diced strawberries, lemon juice and 50 grams of icing sugar, and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, add 250 millilitres of double cream and 50 grams of icing sugar and whisk until soft peaks are formed.
3. Next, fold half of the strawberry puree and the remaining diced strawberries into the cream.
4. Divide the mixture between the serving glasses and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
5. Top with the remaining strawberry puree and serve!
3. Knickerbocker glory
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
400ml double cream
60g icing sugar
300g strawberries, diced with stalks removed
200g of raspberries, halved
8 large scoops of vanilla ice cream
½ of packet jelly, dissolved and set
A handful of hundreds and thousands sprinkles
A handful of fresh strawberries
A pinch of a mint leaf
1 wafer biscuit
Method:
1. Add the cream and sugar to a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, whisk the cream until soft peaks are formed. Transfer the whipped cream to the piping bag.
2. Build your knickerbocker glory in layers of jelly, fruit, ice cream and whipped cream.
3. Top with any leftover whipped cream and garnish with hundreds and thousands, a mint leaf, fresh strawberries and a wafer biscuit.
