Strawberries and cream: Bakers share recipes to make the English classic at home

Strawberries and cream remain a staple at Wimbledon since the Grand Slam began in 1877. Bakers share how you can whip up the English classic at home to enjoy the game

A sweet force binds sparring fans at the Wimbledon every year — 1,90,900 portions of strawberries and cream. The English delicacy dates back to 1509, when Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, King Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor, served it. Score a match point this season by whipping up these interesting variations at home with freeze-dried strawberries or extracts.

Low-carb strawberries and cream

Ingredients
>>1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries >>200 ml heavy whipping cream >>50 g low-carb sweetener of choice such as stevia and erythritol or monk fruit sweetener

Method
Grind the strawberries to a powder in a food processor. Add the strawberry powder, heavy cream and low-carb sweetener to a large mixing bowl and whip on high speed till you get stiff peaks. Pipe the cream into a jar or shot glasses and decorate with some strawberry powder, berries of choice or chia seeds. This dessert is appropriate for those on keto or a diabetic diet.

Kanchan Bhatia Jethi who runs K Bakes (@kbakesbyk)

Strawberry chocolate dessert box

For the chocolate cake:

Ingredients
>>11/2 cups all purpose flour
>>4 tbsp cocoa powder
>>1 cup curd >>3/4 cup granulated sugar >>1/2 tsp baking soda >>1 tsp baking powder
>>1/2 cup cooking oil (odourless) >>1 tsp vanilla extract or essence

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius for 10 minutes. Sift flour and cocoa powder. Add curd and sugar in another bowl; whisk well until it’s smooth. Tip in baking soda and baking powder, mix and let it rest for five minutes. Now, pour in oil and vanilla extract or essence, and mix. Add the sifted flour and 
cocoa powder. 

Fold it into a smooth mixture. Pour the batter into a greased tin and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 180 degree Celsius, until the top browns. Let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes, before taking it out of the pan carefully.

(Above, from left) Reeth, Shilpa and Disha Khurana

For the dark chocolate ganache:

Ingredients
>>2 cups finely chopped dark chocolate >>1 cup fresh cream

Method
In a saucepan set over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over chopped chocolates and let it rest for a minute. Whisk the chocolate-cream mixture until everything is combined. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the strawberry compote:

Ingredients
>>500 g chopped strawberries (fresh ones work best; substitute with extract if unavailable) >>1/2 cup sugar >>1 lemon 

Method
In a shallow saucepan, toss in the strawberries, along with sugar and the juice of the lemon. Keep stirring on medium heat until the sugar melts. Cook the strawberries until they’re tender and the compôte thickens. Once done, allow the mixture to cool completely. Chill the compôte.

For the strawberry whipped cream:

Ingredients
>>2 cups whipped cream
>>1 tsp vanilla essence >>Strawberry compote to taste

Method
Beat the whipped cream in a large bowl at medium speed. Gradually speed up till it’s creamy and fluffy. Add vanilla essence. Once stiff peaks are formed, the whipped cream is ready. Add in the strawberry compôte or extract to the whipped cream.

For the assembly:

Line the base of your dessert box with a layer of cake. Add a layer of the strawberry compôte or extract. Pipe chocolate ganache over it and top with strawberries slices. Pipe over these a layer of the strawberry cream. Top with a second layer of the sponge cake. Pipe a layer of cream and decorate with chopped strawberries. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

Mother-daughter trio Shilpa, Disha and Reeth Khurana, The Lil’ Whisk (@thelilwhisk)

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