STRAWBERRY AND CREAM RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Grease and line the bases of 2 round 20cm sandwich tins.
  2. Cube up the butter, then cream together with the sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  3. Beat the eggs, then gradually mix into the creamed butter and sugar. Sift, then fold in the flour, baking powder and ¼ of a teaspoon of sea salt with a large metal spoon until just incorporated (don’t overmix).
  4. Stir in 1 splash of milk to loosen the batter, then evenly divide it between the 2 cake tins.
  5. Bake the cakes in the oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. To test, insert a skewer into the middle of a cake; it’s ready when the skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Once completely cool, pour the cream into a large bowl, scrape in the vanilla seeds and whisk until you have soft peaks.
  7. Sift in icing sugar and gently fold through. Place one of the cakes on your chosen plate or cake stand and spread over the vanilla cream, but not right to the edges or it will spill later.
  8. Hull and roughly slice the strawberries, then scatter on top of the second cake. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with extra strawberries, if you like.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell using 9-inch glass pie pan or 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. If using tart pan, trim edge if necessary. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In large bowl with electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar and almond extract until well blended.
• In small bowl with electric mixer, beat whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Spoon into cooled baked shell.
• Arrange strawberries, pointed side up, over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate while preparing garnish.
• In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Drizzle over strawberries and cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until set. Store in refrigerator.