The great British strawberry

by Great British Chefs 09 July 2015

There’s nothing better than the Great British strawberry during the summer months, so we’ve put together some of our favourite desserts that show them at their finest.

Great British Chefs

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews.

Great British Chefs

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews.

Everyone loves a British strawberry and we think they beat their international rivals hands down when it comes to taste. There are lots of varieties available, each with different characteristics. Sweet Eve strawberries are the result of a 25 year breeding process to satisfy the demand for a sweeter tasting, fuller flavoured strawberry. As they have been bred specifically for our Great British climate, they thrive in the rather ‘special’ weather conditions of this country, making them extremely sweet and flavourful when ripe. The growing season also lasts from May – October, so you can enjoy these delicious strawberries for even longer.

If you fancy trying something a little more impressive than a bowl of strawberries and cream, we’ve picked some of our favourite recipes that are sure to fit the bill.

Afternoon Tea

Try a variation on the humble cream tea with these delicious scones by Anna Hansen. The recipe is brought right up to date with the fashionable tonka bean taking a starring role alongside more traditional ingredients like strawberries, hazelnuts and, of course, clotted cream.

Alyn Williams’ cheesecake toasts are a fun addition to any afternoon tea. Instead of a biscuit base, there’s a deliciously crispy honey toast with a creamy cheesecake topping and fresh strawberries. These delicate toasts are a lighter way of enjoying that delicious cheesecake flavour – perfect for when you’ve already eaten too many sandwiches!

Hazelnut and tonka bean scones with strawberries and clotted cream

by Anna Hansen

Deconstructed strawberry cheesecake recipe

Deconstructed strawberry cheesecake and honey crisp toast

by Alyn Williams

Delicious desserts

Tom Aikens’ poached strawberries with mint recipe creates a divine dessert, as the berries are topped with a Champagne sabayon. He also includes a recipe for crumbly, buttery shortbread biscuits which are a fantastic complement to the strawberries.

Sweet strawberries and tart lemon are a perfect flavour pairing in Adam Gray's beautiful dessert. With a refreshing strawberry sorbet, crisp meringue and tangy lemon curd, it ticks all the boxes for flavour, texture and visual appeal.

Finally, Josh Eggleton elevates the humble pain perdu (or ‘eggy bread’) by pan-roasting strawberries and adding a creamy elderflower sabayon. The flavour of the elderflower complements the strawberries beautifully, and this dessert dish would work equally well as an indulgent summer brunch.