Strawberries truly epitomise the taste of British summer – from their peak season sweetness in June, July and August to their starring role at Wimbledon, where they’re famously served with lashings of cream.
As a true hero ingredient, strawberries are delicious simply enjoyed straight from the punnet or served at a relaxed afternoon tea with a glass of chilled fizz. But they’re just as wonderful when used in cooking, where they bring natural sweetness, vibrant colour and fragrant flavour to all kinds of summer desserts.
For example, food editor Jess Meyer says, "If I'm not going to use a whole punnet, I like to slice and macerate strawberries with a little sugar and a few good grinds of black pepper. The pepper intensifies the flavour of the berries and draws out the sweetness, while the sugar creates a delicious natural syrup that helps preserve them. They will keep in the fridge like this for several days - perfect for dessert, breakfast, or whizzed into cocktails."
In this set of indulgent recipes, we’ve created dishes that celebrate their sweet, juicy flavour at its very best. Perfect for everything from relaxed family barbecues and leisurely garden lunches to easy dinner parties, these desserts are guaranteed to end any summer meal on a high.
Whether you fancy roasting them, macerating with sweet alcohol, or baking them with rhubarb, there’s a recipe to suit all tastes. Whichever recipe you make first, our handy tips and make-ahead advice will also help to take the stress away
For even more inspiration, explore our collection of low-fat berry desserts for other delicious ways to make the most of this seasonal favourite.
1. Roasted strawberry tart
Our gorgeously simple tart is a real showstopper that’s surprisingly easy to make at home, yet looks like it’s taken hours. If you’ve never tried roasting strawberries before, now is the time – the heat intensifies their natural sweetness and brings out a deeper, more complex flavour.
For best results, roast the strawberries and prepare the tart case the day before, then assemble the filling on the day you plan to serve.
- Serves 8
- Prep 20 mins | Cook 30 mins, plus cooling and chilling
- Per serving : 466 cals, 30g fat, 16g sat fat, 47g carbs
Ingredients
- 500g strawberries, hulled, large ones halved
- 120g caster sugar
- 2 strips pared orange zest
- 1 bay leaf
- 2tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 150g white chocolate
- 20cm sweet pastry case
- 150ml crème fraiche
- 250g double cream
- 3 amaretti biscuits, crumbled Basil leaves, to garnish
Method
- 1 Heat the oven to 180C Fan. Toss the strawberries in a lined baking tray with the sugar, orange zest, bay leaf and balsamic. Roast for 20-25 mins, until syrupy, but the strawberries are still holding their shape. Remove the bay leaf. Set the mixture aside to cool, then chill until needed.
- 2 Melt the chocolate and thinly spread 50g all over the inside of the pastry case. Leave to set.
- 3 In a pan, heat the crème fraiche until steaming. Mix into the remaining melted chocolate until smooth, cover and chill.
- 4 Whizz most of the syrup and ¼ of the chilled strawberries to a smooth sauce.
- 5 In a large bowl, mix the chocolate mixture and double cream. Once smooth, whip to soft peaks, then lightly fold through the strawberry sauce for a rippled effect. Spoon into the pastry case and chill for 1-2 hrs, to firm up.
- 6 When ready to serve, top the tart with the remaining roasted strawberries, crumbled amaretti biscuits and basil.
Additional serving idea: Roasting strawberries is a great way to use them up if they're almost past their best. Serve them rippled through cream for a twist on strawberry fool, serve alongside cheesecakes, with meringues, in trifles or even on the side of a savoury cheese selection.
To help store any leftover strawberries a little longer, keep them unwashed in the fridge in a breathable container lined with kitchen paper, which will absorb any excess moisture and help prevent mould. Only rinse them just before eating, as added moisture can speed up spoilage.
2. Strawberry and passion fruit tiramisu
A summery twist on one of Italy’s most famous chilled desserts - we've swapped tiramisu's traditional rich coffee and chocolate for a sunny and seasonal combination of strawberries, passionfruit and lemon.
You can prepare this easy pudding well in advance, making it a dream for summer gatherings with the family. Assemble to the end of step 6, up to 2 days ahead. Cover and chill until ready to serve. There is also no need to turn on the oven, making it perfect for warmer days in the kitchen.
- Serves 8
- Prep 30 mins, plus macerating and chilling
- Per serving: 496 cals, 31g fat, 19g sat fat, 46g carbs
- You will need : 2ltr dish
Ingredients
- 400g strawberries, hulled and chopped, plus
- 200g sliced for the top
- 100g caster sugar, plus
- 5tbsp
- 90g passion fruit pulp
- 3tbsp Marsala
- 3 medium free-range eggs, separated Zest
- 1 lemon
- 2tsp vanilla bean paste
- 500g mascarpone
- 200g sponge fingers White chocolate shavings, to decorate
Method
- 1 Toss the chopped strawberries in a bowl with the 5tbsp sugar. Cover and set aside for at least 2 hrs, or overnight, until softened and syrupy.
- 2 Strain the strawberries over a bowl, reserving the syrup. Mix the berries with the passion fruit pulp, and the syrup with the Marsala. Set the syrup and fruit aside.
- 3 Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla bean paste and 50g sugar in a large bowl, until pale and fluffy, then fold in the mascarpone.
- 4 In a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the remaining 50g sugar in several additions, and whisk to firm peaks.
- 5 Mix a spoonful of the egg-white mixture into the mascarpone mixture to loosen, then gently fold in the rest, until just combined.
- 6 Dip half the sponge fingers in the Marsala syrup and arrange in the base of the dish. Spread over half the fruit mixture, followed by half the mascarpone cream. Repeat with the sponge fingers and fruit, finishing with a layer of mascarpone cream. Cover and chill for at least 4 hrs, or overnight.
- 7 Decorate the tiramisu with the sliced strawberries and the white chocolate shavings, just before serving.
Additional serving idea: Tossing the strawberries with sugar helps draw out their natural juices, creating a rich, flavourful syrup without any cooking required. It’s also a simple way to make seasonal fruit last a little longer, as they’ll keep well in the fridge for several days. Use them in all sorts of easy ways – stirred through whipped cream, spooned over sponge cakes, or blended into a purée for a fruity addition to summer cocktails.
3. Strawberry and rhubarb pie
Served warm straight from the oven, a fruit-filled pie is hard to beat after a leisurely summer Sunday lunch. When making pastry, keeping ingredients cold is key to achieving a light, crumbly texture – which is why we use iced water and chilled butter in the recipe. Make sure you also leave plenty of time to chill the pastry. This will help to achieve the best texture because the gluten that has been activated in the flour has time to rest.
- Serves 6
- Prep 1 hr | Cook 45 mins, plus chilling
- Per serving: 629 cals, 37g fat, 20g sat fat, 71g carbs
- You will need : 23cm pie dish, lightly buttered
- For the pastry:
- 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 225g cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1tbsp caster sugar
- 80ml iced water
- 1 medium free-range egg, beaten
- 2tbsp demerara sugar
- For the filling:
- 400g rhubarb, cut into
- 2.5cm chunks
- 300g strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1 large cooking apple, peeled and cut into
- 2cm chunks 3tbsp strawberry jam
- 2tsp vanilla bean paste
- 120g caster sugar
- 3tbsp cornflour
- 3tbsp ground almonds Cream, to serve
Method
- 1 For the pastry, put the flour, butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse to a rough breadcrumb texture, leaving some larger chunks of butter. Add the iced water and pulse again to bring the pastry together.
- 2 Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a flat ball. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hr.
- 3 Mix the filling ingredients, except the ground almonds, in a large bowl; set aside.
- 4 Heat the oven to 180C Fan, with a baking tray inside. Set aside about a third of the pastry for the lid; roll out the rest to a circle a little larger than the pie dish. Line the dish, leaving the overhang. Sprinkle the ground almonds over the base, then add the filling.
- 5 Roll out the reserved pastry a bit larger than the dish and cut short slits in a star pattern in it, then lay over the pie. Press the edges together, trim the overhang and crimp the edges. Brush the lid with egg and sprinkle over the demerara sugar.
- 6 Bake the pie on the hot baking tray for 45 mins; rest for 30 mins. Serve with plenty of cream.
Additional serving suggestion: This gorgeous dessert benefits from being cooled a little, so that the filling has a little time to set up and become syrupy. As this is quite a saucy pie, keep the fruit chunky and don’t let it sit for long before baking.
4. Strawberry cheesecake
This strawberry cheesecake is the kind of dessert that quietly steals the show. Light yet indulgent, it balances a creamy, cloud-like filling with a crisp, buttery biscuit base and a bright strawberry swirl that tastes like summer in every bite.
Best served after a few hours, or ideally overnight, this cheesecake relies on patience as much as it does on good ingredients. The biscuit base needs time in the fridge to firm up properly, while the filling is set gently with gelatine, giving it a light, sliceable texture without losing its creaminess. Taking care at each chilling stage ensures a clean set and a well-defined, layered finish.
- Serves 10-12
- Prep 25 mins, plus 6hrs chilling and setting
- Per serving: 421 cals, 29g fat, 18g sat fat, 33g carbs
- You will need : 20cm springform cake tin greased and lined with baking paper
- 250g shortbread biscuits
- 80g butter, melted
- 4 platinum-grade gelatine leaves
- 300g strawberries, hulled
- Juice 1 lemon
- 125g caster sugar
- For the filling:
- 280g tub Philadelphia cream cheese
- 200g Greek yogurt
- 250ml double cream
- 2tbsp Chambord or other berry liqueur
- For the topping:
- 250g strawberries, hulled and quartered, plus extra to decorate
- 1 sprig basil (about 6 large leaves), plus extra small leaves to decorate
- 50g caster sugar
- 1tsp cornflour
- 1tbsp Chambord or other berry liqueur
- Mini meringues, to decorate (optional)
Method
- 1 Whizz the biscuits in a food processor to make crumbs. Add the butter, pulsing until combined. Spoon into the base of the tin, smoothing to level. Chill until set.
- 2 Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 mins to soften. Whizz the strawberries in the food processor until pureed. Add to a small saucepan with the lemon juice and sugar. Warm on a medium heat; once hot,
- whisk in the gelatine leaves to dissolve. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
- 3 In a bowl, mix the cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. In another bowl, whisk the cream until soft and billowy.
- 4 Add the Chambord to the strawberry mixture, then fold this into the cream cheese/yogurt mixture. Gently fold in the cream. Spoon the filling into the tin and level. Chill for 6 hrs or overnight until set.
- 5 For the topping, put the strawberries, basil, sugar and cornflour in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook until the strawberries start to fall apart. Push the mixture through a sieve into a bowl, add the Chambord, leave to cool, then chill.
- 6 To serve, run a hot cloth round the sides of the tin to release the cheesecake. Place on a serving plate, then top with the coulis, strawberries, meringues and basil leaves.
Additional serving suggestion: Experiment with different toppings if you like. Crushed freeze dried strawberries or other fresh berries would work just as well!
5. Eton mess sharing plate
This sharing recipe gives a modern twist to a very traditional British pud. Simple store-cupboard ingredients are transformed into something light, indulgent and celebratory. There’s a familiar comfort in the combination of cream, fruit and meringue, but here it’s lifted with fresh herbs and a vibrant berry coulis for a more contemporary finish.
The meringue needs a long, gentle bake followed by an equally long cooling time in the oven so it dries out properly without cracking or collapsing
- Serves 6
- Prep 20 mins, plus cooling
- Cook 1hr
- Per serving: 334cals, 16g fat, 10g sat fat, 40g carbs
- 3 medium free-range egg whites
- 150g caster sugar
- ½tsp cornflour
- Handful basil, plus extra to serve
- 150ml double cream
- 150ml Greek yogurt
- Few drops vanilla extract
- For the coulis:
- 400g strawberries
- 250g raspberries
- 2tbsp Chambord raspberry liqueur
- (optional)
- 3tbsp icing sugar
Method
- 1 Heat the oven to 160C Fan. Whisk the egg whites until frothy, then increase the speed and whisk until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar 1tbsp at a time, until you have a smooth and glossy meringue, then whisk in the cornflour.
- 2 Draw a circle on a sheet of baking paper 18cm in diameter, invert on to a baking sheet, then spoon the meringue in a mound, smoothing to the edges of the circle. Put the meringue in the oven, turn the temperature down to 120C Fan and bake for 1 hr, then turn off the oven and leave inside to cool completely.
- 3 For the coulis, put 200g strawberries and 200g raspberries in a food processor/blender with the Chambord and icing sugar, and whizz until smooth. Push through a sieve into a jug and add a handful of basil leaves. Cover and chill until needed.
- 4 In a bowl, whip the cream then fold in the yogurt and vanilla extract. Swirl through half the coulis.
- 5 To serve, put the cooled meringue on to a large lipped plate/board, smash into rough large pieces, then top with the cream/yogurt followed by the reserved berries, remaining coulis and a scattering of small basil leaves.
Additional serving suggestion: You can keep the meringue whole and spoon the cream mixture over the top just before bringing it to the table, allowing guests to slice into it so the layers are revealed at the moment of serving.
