Fresh, locally grown strawberries are available in Ireland from May to October, with a wide network of family farms around the country growing the delicious berry. Award-winning food writer, cookbook author and TV chef Lilly Higgins has teamed up with Bord Bia to celebrate the arrival of the new strawberry season by sharing some exciting recipes that put a twist on the much-loved fruit. Strawberries are delicious when enjoyed by themselves and are the perfect addition to any dish at any time of the day.
“I just love strawberry season!” says Lilly. “You can’t beat a fresh locally-grown strawberry, it’s a pure taste of summer. They’re so versatile. Perfect on their own with softly whipped cream or transformed into an elaborate dessert, cocktail, or even a salad. The possibilities are endless with Irish strawberries.”
Whether you’re looking for recipe inspiration for the next summer gathering, to refresh midweek meals, or even a tasty breakfast, why not try one of Lilly’s easy-to-prepare recipes. There’s something for everyone to enjoy with these tasty treats that are sure to impress!
Lilly’s home-made roast strawberry ice cream
Light and airy, this home-made ice cream recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser this summer.
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Makes: one large tub
Ingredients
- 1kg strawberries, hulled & halved.
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tin, 395g condensed milk
- 500ml cream
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Place the strawberries on a lined tray and coat in the sugar.
- Roast the strawberries in the oven for 30 mins until condensed and syrupy then leave to cool.
- Place the now-cooled strawberries into a blender with the condensed milk and vanilla. Blitz until smooth then set aside.
- Meanwhile, whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- Use a spatula to fold your thickened cream into the strawberry mix one tbsp at a time, trying knock to knock out any air.
- Pour the mix into a container, swirl the top.
- Place the lid on & freeze for 6-8 hours, overnight is best!
- Leave to rest out of freezer for 5 mins before scooping into cones or a bowl.
Strawberry shortcakes
The perfect bake for afternoon tea, these delights can be easily meal-prepped to be on hand in the cupboard whenever you need a snack. The shortcake is a mixture of scone and cake with a light buttery crumb, perfect with fresh strawberries, some jam and cream.
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 300g plain flour
- 85g sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 100g butter, cold and cubed
- 250ml double cream
- 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp water (to glaze.)
- To serve: Strawberry jam, 500ml softly whipped cream, extra sliced strawberries
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- For the shortcake, sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, add the sugar and use a whisk to mix everything together.
- Next, use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour mix until it resembles breadcrumbs. It’s fine to leave some butter visible.
- Create a well in the centre of the bowl and pour in the cream.
- Use your hand in a claw shape or use a round bladed knife like a palette knife to bring the mix together. You will need to work quickly with a light touch to form a soft dough. When it has come together into a ball, empty it out on to a lightly floured surface.
- Pat the dough down gently and cut out eight discs using a biscuit or scone cutter.
- Place on a tray lined with baking paper.
- Brush the top of the discs with the egg wash and scatter sugar on top. This will give a lovely crunch to the shortcake.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until risen and lightly golden. You might need to turn the tray after 10 minutes to ensure an even colour. You can test if the shortcake is fully baked by sticking a clean metal skewer into the centre of one of the discs. If it comes out clean without residue it is ready to serve.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving with the fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and if you like more sweetness, some strawberry jam!
Strawberry tiramisu
Why not give Lilly’s twist on this classic dessert a try for your next summer gathering?
Serves 9
You will need
- 2 punnets of strawberries
- Sugar
- Lemon
- Cornflour
- Butter
- Cream
- Mascarpone
- Sponge fingers
For the strawberry curd
- 250g strawberries
- 30g sugar
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 ½ tbsp butter
- Blitz the strawberries till smooth. Sieve to remove seeds then add sugar. Mix lemon juice with cornflour in a small bowl.
- Whisk the strawberry purée in a pan. Heat gently till simmering and thick. Remove from heat & whisk in butter. Set aside to cool, continue whisking regularly to avoid lumps.
- Leave to rest
For the strawberry coulis
- Blitz 250g strawberries with 2 tbsp sugar and juice of ½ lemon and set aside.
For the mascarpone cream
- Whisk 500ml cream with 250g mascarpone and 40g sugar till thick and creamy. Set aside.
To assemble
- Dip 300g sponge fingers into the strawberry coulis and layer in a dish, try not to soak them too much – just enough that they are still slightly firm.
- Top with some more freshly chopped strawberries and a layer of mascarpone cream followed by another layer of coulis dipped biscuits, strawberries and cream.
- Finish with a thick blanket of strawberry curd. Arrange more berries on top. Leave to set in the fridge for four hours before slicing.
Flavour and fibre
Strawberries are a nutritional powerhouse. By including a handful of strawberries in meals or as a snack, it provides almost 100 per cent of the daily requirement of Vitamin C, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system and reduces tiredness and fatigue. Eating strawberries is a fantastic way to hydrate naturally and they also contain fibre, contributing to the overall function of the digestive system. And while sweet-tasting, the berry is low in sugar, making them a healthy snack.
Celebrate Strawberry Season is part of the annual Bord Bia Best in Season campaign. The campaign is organised in co-operation with the Irish Soft Fruit Growers Association and the IFA. Celebrate Strawberry Season aims to encourage people to enjoy fresh, locally grown strawberries throughout the entirety of the Irish season (May to October). Bord Bia is encouraging people to look for new, delicious ways to add strawberries into meals throughout the day, either as a healthy snack or the centrepiece to your dish. Treat yourself to the delicious fruit today!