STRAWBERRY SPONGE DROPS

With Wimbledon in full swing my thoughts turned to strawberry recipes. Wimbledon and strawberries, well, they just go together. You can't think of summer without thinking of our wonderful British berries. I truly believe in eating them when in season, when they are so sweet and juicy.

Make the start of Wimbledon the start of your strawberry eating season, they will never taste better. Also I think the anticipation of the first British strawberries makes them taste all the better. Who hasn't been disappointed by those berries we eat in depth of winter? Perhaps we are trying to capture a bit of summer, but the flavour just isn't there, and our plan fails. Strawberries for Christmas, no, no, no. Seasonal eating is the way to go.

These delicious sponges were looking at me from the pages of a summer magazine. They looked so good I knew I wanted to make them for the weekend. I hoped they would look as good as they did on the pages of the glossy magazine, but more than that I hoped the taste would would be as good as I was imagining it to be.

SPONGE DROPS (makes 24 sponges)

4 medium free rage eggs
100g caster sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
150g self raising flour


Heat oven to 180c (350f) and line 3 large baking tins
Put eggs, sugar and vanilla into large bowl.Whisk with electric mixer for about 7 mins until mixture has tripled in volume and is very thick and pale.
Sift in flour then mix in gently with a metal spoon.
Drop exact tablespoons of mixture 3cms apart on baking sheet, they will spread out.
Bake for 8-10mins until puffed and golden.
Leave to cool on sheets and peel away from paper.

FILLING

Strawberry Jam, sieved.
Double Cream
Strawberries approx 350g hulled and sliced.
Icing sugar

Spread jam over half of the sponges. Then spoon over cream and spread out. Then place slice strawberries over the cream. Another little dollop of cream can be added on top of strawberries but this is optional. Now place other sponge on top and sprinkle over icing sugar.



So I now had my strawberry sponges to enjoy while watching the tennis. Perfect. They tasted yummy and even better Andy Murray, a fellow Scot, is still in there with a chance. Could be a very good Wimbledon for me.

I can always dream!