June brings thoughts of summer days and strawberries and cream.
This recipe uses both for a topping made of strawberry purée and whipped cream on a light sponge. It’s so delicious!
You will need a 20cm/8in deep round cake tin and a food processor or a blender.
Ingredients:
- 110g (4oz) butter
- 4 large eggs + 2 yolks
- 1 lemon – grated zest
- 110g (4oz) caster sugar
- 150g (5oz) plain flour
Filling and decoration
- 250g (8oz) strawberries
- 300ml (10 floz) double cream
- 50g (2oz) icing sugar
- 1 tspn lemon juice
- Extra strawberries for decoration
Method:
Line the cake tin with silicone baking parchment paper.
Heat the oven to Gas 2/160C.
Melt the butter and leave it to cool.
Whisk together the eggs and yolks, lemon zest and caster sugar over a pan of hot water until thick.
Fold in the sieved flour and melted butter.
Put into the tin and bake for approx 35-40 mins or until firm in the centre to a fingertip touch. Remove onto a cooling rack and leave to get cold.
Strawberry Cream
Slice the strawberries and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Purée them in a food processor or with a blender until smooth.
Whip the cream to soft peak only then fold in the purée. Taste for sweetness, adding icing sugar if necessary.
To assemble: place the cake base on a serving plate, spread the strawberry cream on top, swirling it. Decorate with a few extra strawberries.
Tip: a tablespoon of white wine could be added to the strawberries.
The unused egg whites can be frozen for another time.