STRAWBERRY RECIPES

 

                                                         

 

Use the last strawberries of the season to prepare the following delicious desserts.

 

                                           FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE

 

1 ½ cups plain flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

6 tbsp butter softened and more for greasing the pie dish

1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar divided

1 large egg

1 vanilla

500 g (1 lb) strawberries, hulled and halved

 

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a round pie dish with butter.  In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

 

In a large bowl whisk the butter with 1 cup of sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.   Gradually ad the flour mixture alternately with the milk and beat, at low speed, until smooth and thick.

 

Transfer to the prepared pie dish and smooth with a spatula. Arrange the strawberries on top, cut side down so that they completely cover the batter.  Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.  Bake for10 minutes then reduce the heat a little and bake until the cake is golden and a tester that is inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool in the dish on a rack.  Serve with whipped cream.

 

 

                                                STRAWBERRY MUFFINS

 

2 cups plain flour + 2 tsp for tossing the strawberries

2 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp salt

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 vanilla

¼ tsp almond extract

½ cup milk

2 ¼ cups diced strawberries, divided

2 tbsp sugar for topping

 

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a 12 socket muffin tin with paper liners and brush each with melted butter.

 

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat butter and sugar for 2 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in the vanilla and almond extract.

 

Fold in the flour mixture in three separate additions alternately with the milk ending with the flour.

 

Toss the strawberries with the flour and set ½ cup of strawberries aside.  Add the remaining fruit to the batter and fold until evenly distributed.  Do not overmix!  Bake for 30 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and  run a flexible knife around the top of each muffin and let then cool for about 25 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

 

 

                                               STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

 

500 ml (2 cups) milk

400 g sugar

2 vanillas

1 cup chopped strawberries

½ cup brown sugar

2 tsp Metaxa brandy

5 cups cream

 

First place the strawberries in a bowl with the brown sugar, until the strawberries release their juices, then blend until smooth

 

Place the milk with the sugar and the strawberry mixture in a saucepan and heat stirring until both kinds of sugar dissolve. 

 

Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.  Stir in the vanilla and brandy and fold in the cream, cover and place in the freezer.  After an hour whisk and return to the freezer.  Whisk again after a couple of hours.  When it is almost firm give it a last whisk and transfer to a container with a lid and let it set until completely firm.