Sweet as strawberries

Photo: Penelope Maguire
Photo: Penelope Maguire
As the weather warms, these sweet strawberry recipes are perfect to share with friends, making them ideal 

for the social season ahead, Penelope Maguire writes.

Few foods conjure the excitement of spring and summer quite like a perfectly ripe, ruby-red strawberry — especially after a long, cold winter.Strawberries are incredibly versatile, shining in both sweet and savoury dishes.

Whether blended into smoothies, paired with cream cheese-stuffed dates and pistachios, or mixed into a bright vinaigrette for salads, their sweet-tart flavour is a welcome addition to many meals. I love folding strawberries into whipped cream and meringue or popping them atop sugar crusted puff pastry filled with pastry creme for an effortless dessert.

Even for breakfast, a simple plate of strawberries with avocado toast and boiled eggs feels like a luxurious, but very balanced start to the day.

At the height of the season, I infuse strawberries with elderflowers, lemons and sugar to create a shelf-stable cordial, perfect for mixing with sparkling water or Prosecco.

Nutritionally, strawberries are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Low in calories but high in fibre and water, they hydrate and support digestion. Interestingly, strawberry leaves and hulls are edible and have a long history of medicinal use. Their astringent properties make them useful in teas for upset stomachs or mouthwashes for oral health. They also add a pleasant bitterness to salads, but those trying them for the first time should try just a little first, as some people may experience allergies to the strawberry greens.

To remove any pesticide residue, I recommend soaking strawberries in a vinegar-water solution (3:1) for 5-10 minutes, then rinsing in cold water. Storing them in a sealed glass jar in the fridge keeps them fresh for much longer than leaving them in the original punnet.

Strawberry and almond shortcake

Ingredients

2 punnets fresh strawberries, trimmed, washed, and quartered

180g butter, softened

180g sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

250g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

Zest of 2 lemons

70g slivered almonds

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tin with parchment. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest; beat until combined.

Gradually add the flour and baking powder. Spread two-thirds of the mixture into the tin. Arrange strawberries on top, then drop the remaining dough over. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden. Serve the shortcake warm or at room temperature. It can be enjoyed on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Photo: Penelope Maguire
Photo: Penelope Maguire

Strawberry, white chocolate, and coconut celebration cake (GF)

Ingredients

250g butter

375g sugar

8 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

150g ground almonds

Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
100g desiccated coconut

210g gluten-free flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

125g white chocolate, chopped

250g fresh strawberries, sliced

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line two 23cm cake tins. Cream the butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla, followed by the dry ingredients. Fold in the white chocolate and strawberries. Divide batter between tins and bake for 30-40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool, then decorate with fluffy vanilla buttercream, lemon curd, and fresh strawberries.