By Angela Day
The menu
Choc hazelnut strawberry tart
Balsamic strawberry ice cream
Roasted strawberry and cream cheesecake
Strawberry meringue gateaux
Strawberry crumble bars
Roasted strawberry and ice cream cheesecake
Pastry
200g digestive biscuits, crushed
100g butter melted
FILLING
500g strawberries, hulled and halved
60ml castor sugar
3x 250g thick cream cheese
250ml castor sugar
250g mascarpone cheese
3 eggs, beaten
5ml vanilla essence
10ml grated lemon rind
60ml lemon juice
Extra strawberries for serving
Combine the biscuits and butter and mix well.
Press into the base of a 22cm spring form cake tin.
Place in the freezer to chill.
Wrap the base and sides of the tin with a double layer of tin foil.
Place the strawberries on a tray lined with tin foil.
Sprinkle with sugar and roast in the oven at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until softened and the juices have been released.
Remove and scrape the strawberries and juice into a bowl. Mash well. Set aside to cool.
Place the cream cheese and castor sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth and well combined.
Mix in the mascarpone.
Add the eggs and mix to combine.
Add in the vanilla, lemon rind and juice and mix well.
Remove just over a quarter of the mixture from the bowl and set aside.
Add the mashed strawberries to the larger quantity and mix well.
Pour this on to the biscuit base.
Carefully spoon over the reserved mixture to cover.
Place the tin in a roasting pan and add about 1 litre of hot water.
Bake at 160°C for 40-50 minutes until the cheesecake is just set.
Switch off the oven and leave for another 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven.
Remove the foil and chill overnight. Decorate with strawberries before serving.
Strawberry meringue gateaux
Serves 10-12
250ml pecan nuts
30ml cornflour
7 egg whites
3ml cream of tartar
500ml castor sugar
10ml vanilla essence
500ml cream
45ml icing sugar
500g strawberries, sliced
Put the pecan nuts and cornflour in a processor and process until finely chopped. Set aside.
Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment and beat until soft peaks form.
Add the castor sugar a spoonful at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix in the vanilla essence.
Beat until thick and glossy.
Fold in the nuts.
Draw four 22cm circles on non stick baking paper and place each on an oven tray.
Divide the meringue mixture between the four trays.
Spread to cover the circles.
Bake at 150°C for 2-3 hours until firm. Switch off the oven and allow to cool completely.
Whip the cream and icing sugar until stiff.
Place one of the meringue discs on a serving plate.
Spread with a layer of cream and top with sliced strawberries.
Continue to layer the meringue with the strawberries and cream.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Balsamic strawberry ice cream
Makes 1 litre
Strawberry Purée
250g strawberries, hulled and halved
15ml castor sugar
30ml citrus balsamic glaze
Custard
5 large egg yolks
125ml sugar, divided in half
430ml cream
180ml milk
2ml salt
45ml balsamic glaze
5ml grated orange rind
Purée: Combine the strawberries, sugar and balsamic glaze and place on an oven tray.
Roast at 180°C for 20 minutes, stirring halfway.
Remove, cool slightly and transfer the berries and their juice to a blender or food processor.
Purée until smooth and refrigerate until needed.
Custard: In a glass bowl, whisk the yolks and half the sugar slightly and set aside.
In a pot over a low heat, stir together the remaining half of sugar, cream, milk, salt, balsamic glaze and orange rind.
Stir until sugar has dissolved, turn up the heat and bring just to the boil.
Pour half a cup of cream mixture onto the egg yolks and whisk well.
Whisking constantly, slowly pour the egg into the pot.
Cook over medium heat until thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Pour the custard into a glass bowl and place into the freezer until cooled completely.
Pour into an ice cream machine and churn until thickened.
Swirl through the strawberry purée. Spoon into a serving dish and store in the freezer.
Strawberry crumble bars
Makes about 15-20
500ml flour
160ml light brown sugar
200g butter
250ml strawberry jam
400g strawberries, hulled and chopped
250ml oats
Put the flour and brown sugar in a processor.
Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Put ¾ of the mixture into a 20x30cm pan which has been lined and greased.
Use the back of a spoon and press the mixture firmly into the base.
Give the jam a good mix with a spoon to loosen it up. Spread a thin layer of jam over the pastry base. Scatter over the strawberries.
Add the oats to the remaining crumble mixture and mix well.
Scatter over the strawberries. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and well baked. Remove and cool in the pan.
Lift the paper out of the pan and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container.
Choc hazelnut strawberry tart
Serves 6-8
Pastry
500ml (300g) flour
30ml castor sugar
a pinch of salt
150g butter, cubed
1 egg
iced water to mix
Filling
60ml cornflour
250ml milk
350g jar of chocolate hazelnut spread
2ml salt
5ml vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
400g strawberries, washed, hulled
icing sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm loose bottom quiche tin.
Pastry: Pulse flour, sugar and salt in a food processor.
Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the egg and enough ice water to bring the dough together.
Cover in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Divide the pastry in half, use one half for the tart and freeze the other half for another use.
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to fit the prepared tin.
Prick the base with a fork and blind bake for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the beans and paper and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until completely baked.
Filling: Whisk the cornflour with 60ml of the milk in a small bowl.
Add the remaining milk, hazelnut spread, salt and vanilla to a pan.
Whisk over medium heat until well blended and melted, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture.
Bring mixture to the boil, stirring constantly until it starts to thicken.
Whisk in the egg yolks.
Boil for 2 minutes.
Cool slightly and pour into the pie crust.
Refrigerate until set.
Top with strawberries and dust with icing sugar before serving.
The Angela Day recipes are published in The Star, Cape Argus, Daily News and Pretoria News