In this season of amour, express your feelings for your man with strawberries, which symbolize intense love and passion. Hyderabad based expert baker Barkha Agarwal tells you how to strike the right chord with her strawberry recipes and cocktails. Her tempting Valentine fare is Indian at heart but is dusted with international flair

Frozen Strawberry Soufflé

Ingredients

Tropolite (Whipped Cream Topping) 250 ml

Strawberry Crush 100 ml

Fresh Strawberry Slices for garnish

Method

1. Whip Tropolite until light and fluffy with an electric beater. Keep aside ¼ cup.
2. Gently stir strawberry crush through remaining cream.
3. Cut 4 strips of baking paper and secure around 4 ramekin dishes with tape so that the paper extends 2 inches above the rim.
4. Spoon mixture into dishes and smooth the tops. Place in freezer for at least 2 hours.
5. Remove just before serving and gently remove paper. Decorate with a spoonful of plain cream and sliced fresh strawberries. Serve.

 

Strawberry Stack

Ingredients

Ready Frozen Samosa/Spring Roll sheets

Whipping Cream 200ml

Icing Sugar ¼ cup + for dusting

Fresh Strawberries, Sliced 1 cup

Method

1. Cut samosa sheet into 8cm x 8cm squares.
2. Deep fry in hot oil until light brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
3. Whip cream until light and fluffy. Gently stir in icing sugar.
4. Fill in icing bag fitted with a star nozzle. Place one square on a serving plate. Pipe cream. Place strawberries on cream.
5. Repeat twice, ending with strawberries. Dust with icing sugar and serve. (Optional: Drizzle with chocolate syrup)

Spiked Strawberry Jelly

Ingredients

Strawberry Jelly Crystals 1 packet

Vodka 60 ml

Fresh Strawberries, Sliced 4-5

Whipped Cream for garnish

Method

1. Dissolve jelly crystals as per packet instructions in 60 ml less water than directed.
2. Very lightly grease jelly mould with a small amount of vegetable oil.
3. Once the mixture is lukewarm, stir in the vodka.  Pour into mould.
4. After 5 minutes place slices of strawberry in jelly and gently press into the centre. Let jelly set completely.
5. To serve, invert mould onto a serving plate and shake gently to release from mould. Serve decorated with some whipped cream and slices of strawberries.

Giant Cream Puff with Strawberries

Ingredients

For Cream Puff

Water 1 cup

Unsalted Butter ½ cup

Plain Flour (Maida) 1 cup

Salt ¼ tsp

Eggs 3

For Filling

Whipping Cream 1 cup

Icing Sugar ¼ cup + for garnish

Fresh Strawberries, Sliced 2 punnets

Method

1. For the filling, chill cream in medium bowl. Whip until soft peaks form with a whisk. Gently stir in sifted icing sugar.
2. For the puffs, sift together flour and salt.
3. Boil water and butter together in a medium pan. Once boiled, remove from heat.
4. Add flour all at once stirring rapidly with wooden spoon. Let cool slightly.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Electric hand mixer may be used. The mixture will come away from the sides of the pan.
6. Place mixture in a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Pipe 8 large rounds on a tray lined with baking paper, spacing them to give them room to rise and spread. Alternatively, use a large spoon.
7. Bake the puffs for 25-30 minutes at 200°C until golden brown. Let cool for few minutes with oven door open. Cool completely on wire rack.
8. Split in half gently, spoon filling on bottom half, place sliced strawberries on top of cream and place top half of puff on strawberries.
9. Dust with icing sugar and serve.