Strawberries are cream of the crops: Mrs Crunch shares her pick of cash-savvy berry recipes for the summer
THIS month is a berry nice one for Brits, for May 1 marked the official
start of British berry season.
Milder temperatures, longer days and plenty of sunshine combine to produce
perfect berries – and they are now in supermarkets and greengrocers
nationwide.
The first berry in season is the British strawberry.
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It is packed with vitamins – just seven strawberries (80g) provide your
recommended daily amount of vitamin C.
Strawberries are a classic British fruit, so here are some traditional recipes
the whole family will love.
Strawberry cheesecake — 42p per serving
Serves ten. Preparation time, 30 minutes plus chilling. Cooking time, ten
minutes.
A serving contains 294 calories (15 per cent of the recommended daily adult
intake), 22g fat (31 per cent), 13g sat fat (65 per cent), 12.5g sugar (14
per cent), 0.3g salt (5 per cent).
YOU NEED:
For the base:
175g digestive biscuits, finely crushed
75g butter, melted
For the filling:
225g strawberries, hulled and halved
75g caster sugar
2 gelatine leaves, softened in cold water
300g low-fat cream cheese
150ml double cream, whipped
150ml low-fat Greek yoghurt
Extra strawberries to serve
To make your strawberry cheesecake you will need a 20cm springform cake tin,
base lined with baking parchment
METHOD: Place the biscuits and butter in a bowl, mix well and press
into the base of the tin.
Chill while you make the filling.
For the filling, place the strawberries, 25g of the sugar and 2 tbsp water in
a saucepan and cook on a moderate heat.
Puree the mixture in a blender and push through a fine sieve back into the
saucepan.
Warm the strawberry puree again and when hot, squeeze the excess water from
the gelatine leaves and add to the puree.
Swirl the pan to make sure the gelatine is completely dissolved. Set aside.
Place the cream cheese and remaining sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until
smooth.
Add the cooled strawberry and gelatine mixture and beat again.
Add the yoghurt and double cream and fold in until combined.
Pour over the biscuit base and chill for a minimum of six hours.
To serve, run a round-bladed knife around the outside of the tin and transfer
the cheesecake to a plate.
Decorate the top with halved strawberries.
Your strawberry cheesecake will keep for three days, covered in the fridge.
TIP: Lightly dust the top of your cheesecake with some icing sugar to
make it extra tasty.
Strawberry mousse — 36p per serving
Serves six. Preparation time, 15 minutes.
A serving contains 208 calories (ten per cent of the recommended daily
adult intake), 14g fat (20 per cent), 8.5g sat fat (42 per cent), 17g sugar
(19 per cent), 0.1g salt (two per cent).
YOU NEED:
4 egg whites
60g caster sugar
150ml double cream
350g strawberries
20g icing sugar
METHOD: Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and then add the caster
sugar.
Continue whisking until you have stiff, glossy peaks.
Whisk the double cream to soft peaks.
Puree or finely chop the strawberries and mix with the icing sugar.
Fold the egg whites into the double cream and then fold in the strawberries.
Combine well but take care not to overwork the mixture or you will lose the
air in the mousse.
Pour the mousse into a large bowl or individual glasses and chill for at least
two hours.
TIP: Top the mousse with fresh strawberries and some flavoursome mint
leaves for decoration.
Strawberry milkshake — 52p per serving
Serves six. Preparation time, five minutes.
A serving contains 147 calories (seven per cent of the recommended daily
adult intake), 4g fat (six per cent), 2g sat fat (ten per cent), 21g sugar
(23 per cent), 0.2g salt (three per cent).
YOU NEED:
800g strawberries, hulled
400ml skimmed milk
4 scoops vanilla ice-cream
1 tbsp grenadine, or raspberry syrup
METHOD: In a food processor or smoothie maker whizz the strawberries
until smooth and slushy.
Then add the milk, ice cream and syrup. Blitz until smooth and thick.
TIP: Keep your milkshake overnight in the fridge – it will taste just
as good the next day.