STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM

New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 654, 18 January 1952, Page 22

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM

TRAWBERRIES have always | been regarded as a luxury | fruit, but so many people have taken to growing them in the garden that I am getting more requests for dainty strawberry dishes as well as for recipes for preserving them, During the war when cream was scarce or rationed, people got into the habit of having ice cream with this lovely fruit. But just try going back to the old way of serving them well sprinkled with castor sugar and smothered in thick, rich, raw cream, not even whipped, and see how bland and lovely and how much more true flavour you get! Incidentally, cream is just as good with raspberries or loganberries. Preserving Two Links in our Daisy Chain have given me methods of preserving strawberries, Both make a syrup, either 2 cups sugar to 1 of water, or equal parts of each, boiled 5 minutes till clear. Then one Link drops in her firm strawberries and lets them just heat through before lifting them out with a perforated spoon, arranging nicely in pint-jars, pouring the boiling syrup over and sgaling airtight at once. The other Link puts her firm strawberries straight into the jars, pours the boiling syrup over, and seals at once. Both keep equally well, right through the year. You can do them in the oven, too-a jar or so at a time, as they ripen. Pack in jars, cover with a loose tin lid and set in @ very moderate oven. As the juice starts to flow and the berries sink in the jars, you can fill them from one of the others. When cooked (but whole), take the jars from the oven and fill with a boiling syrup; or leave them plain and add the sugar when you serve them. like fresh fruit. Seal immediately. Strawberry Cocktail Equal parts of small, whole (or largehalved) strawberries, and cubed fresh or canned pineapple, sweetened with powdered sugar if desired. A little chilled ginger ale, or fruit juice, poured over. Strawberry Delight Whip till stiff % cup heavy cream. Add 114 teaspoons vanilla flavouring (or 1 tablespoon sherry) and 3 tablespoons ordinary sugar. Fold this into 34 cup sliced strawberries and 1 cup diced canned pineapple combined. Chill thoroughly. Spoon lightly into 3-4 pretty glasses. Strawberry Sponge Make your favourite butter sponge the day before. Do not hull the strawberries till after washing, or much juice will be wasted. To wash, put.the berries into a colander standing in a basin of water, and gently cleanse with the fingers. Lift out the colander and leave to drain. Hull them, and choose a few of the biggest and best berries for the top of the cake. Sprinkle the rest with sugar (castor for preference), and leave to stand a while. Now put the lower half of the sponge on a pretty dish, cover thickly with sweetened strawberries, then pile on plenty of whipped cream, slightly sweetened and flavoured with vanilla. Put on the top half of the cake, cover

with whipped cream and arrange the reserved strawberries nicely over the top. These berries may have been dipped into a syrup made by boiling together 4% teacup sugar and 1 tablespoon water (do not let it brown). Cut the cake from the outside towards the middle in wedge-shaped pieces. Strawberry Shortcake Two cups flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1% teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 5 tablespoons butter, 1 egg, about 3% cup of milk. Sift dry ingredients, rub butter into flour. Break egg into cup, add milk to make 34 cup. Mix, and add to dry ingredients. Stir well until mixed. Should be soft but not sticky. Add more milk if necessary. Divide into two. Pat out each half-into round flat discs. Brush tops with softened butter. Put one on top of the other and bake in quick oven about 375 degrees until well baked through. While hot, split open and spread between the layers crushed and sweeténed strawberries and whipped cream. Cover the top with whipped cream and whole berries. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Strawberry Meringue First make the meringue case. In a dry basin, whip 3 egg whites to a stiff froth, adding by degrees 2 tablespoons sugar for each egg-white. Beat constantly, adding also 1 teaspoon vinegar and a ‘small teaspoon: of vanilla or strawberry essence while beating. When stiff enough to hold its shape, pipe it out through a forcing-bag, or a cone shaped from greaseproof paper, into an oval shape, making it higher at the sides to make a proper case. If preferred, you can use a spoon to arrange the case instead of a forcer. Have a piece of greaseproof paper, wetted under cold tap and just shaken free from drops, to place the meringue upon. Alternatively you can use a sandwich tin lined with wetted paper. Bake in cool oven, about 250 degrees or regulo 1. Leave for about 11% hours till set, taking care that it does not brown. Fill with ripe straw- © "perries, and cover with whipped cream sweetened and flavoured with a little sherry if likéd, or with strawberry essence,