Strawberries and Cream: The Perfect Summer Match

Steeped in history and still tingling taste buds to this very day, the humble combination of strawberries and cream brings elegance and extravagance to any event or dinner party.

The winning combination of strawberries and cream was introduced by Thomas Wolsey, a right-hand man to King Henry VIII. It is believed that he served this dish at a lavish banquet in 1509. Although Thomas receives the credit for this delicious combination, it was a chef whose name has been lost in history that developed this wonderful invention.

King George V, meanwhile, has been widely credited with introducing the classic fruit and cream combination to the Wimbledon tennis tournament during the early 1900s. After all, they were then only available during that time of the year, and highly fashionable, too.

From Wimbeldon, Ascot, Henley and our quaint back gardens, these special occasions and summer nights deserve some heavenly treats. But what makes this simple combination of strawberries and cream so delightful?

Choosing deep ruby red seasonal strawberries with rich double cream creates the most vibrant and fresh, yet decently luxurious taste for the perfect summertime dish.

This tasty treat has even captured the wonder of scientists! From research, and I’m sure plenty of taste tests, they have found that, for maximum enjoyment, eating them within three minutes means that you are consuming strawberries and cream at their best. As well as that, the optimal ratio of fruit to serving accompaniment is one tablespoon of double cream for every two medium-sized strawberries.

To add to the delightfulness, what better way to have them than with a light, fluffy Victoria Sponge cake. The origins of the sponge cake can be traced back to at least the 15th century. At the court of the Duchy of Savoy, a confection like a sponge finger known as a Savoiardi, a low-density, dry, egg-based, sweet sponge cake biscuit shaped like a large digit, was produced to mark the visit of the French king. Over the years, changes have occurred to the recipe to create what we know today.

This classic gained popularity in the 18th century when Anne Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford introduced what is commonly known as now as Afternoon Tea. During this time, the evening meal was not served until between 8-9pm which left our Duchess feeling a little peckish in the late afternoon. Later, she began inviting friends to partake of this new afternoon tea with her, one of which was none other than Queen Victoria herself. Having gained the Queen’s approval, the practice soon became a trend amongst the upper class. So enamoured was she with the cake that following Albert’s death in 1861 it was named the Victoria sponge in her honour.

So, if it’s good enough for royal occasions, it most certainly is good enough for our special treats. Enjoy it all year round, but especially now on summer nights with those juicy delightful strawberries and deliciously rich cream. The perfect taste of summer!

Check out the recipe below:

Ingredients

• 4 free-range eggs

• 225g/8oz caster sugar

• 225g/8oz self-raising flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 225g/8oz butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins

• 400g strawberries

• 150ml double cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins. Use a piece of baking paper to rub a little butter around the inside of the tins until the sides and base are lightly coated, then line the bottom with a circle of baking paper.

2. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar, flour, baking powder and butter. Mix together until well combined with an electric hand mixer. The finished mixture should fall off a spoon easily.

3. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. Use a spatula to remove all of the mixture from the bowl and gently smooth the surface of the cakes.

4. Bake the cakes on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes. Check them after 20 minutes. The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins. Press them gently to check – they should be springy to the touch. Set aside to cool in their tins for 5 minutes. Run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tins and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.

5. To assemble the cake, whip the cream using a hand or electric whisk until it just holds its shape, then slice the strawberries. Place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with whipped cream and a layer of sliced strawberries. Top with the second cake, top-side up. Again spread a layer of whipped cream and fresh strawberries