Strawberry Shortbread Stacks

Serves – 4

• 500g plain flour
• 300g unsalted butter – softened
• 3 egg yolks
• 150g castor sugar
• 300ml double cream
• 500g Scottish strawberries – trimmed and halved
• 1 vanilla pod – de-seeded
• 50g icing sugar

Method

• In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks.
• Sift the flour and bring together to form a smooth dough.
• Divide the dough in half and roll into sausages about 2inch diameter. Roll tightly in cling film and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
• While you are waiting for the shortbread dough to rest, lightly whip the double cream in a bowl with the vanilla seeds and icing sugar until peaks begin to form. Transfer the cream to a disposable piping bag and chill until required.
• Preheat the oven to 160c. Unwrap the shortbread and cut into 12 x 1cm slices. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and place the shortbread on it. Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and sprinkle with castor sugar.
• Cut a hole about 1cm of the end of the piping bag. Place a small splodge of cream in the centre of a plate and pop one piece of the shortbread on top of it. Top with a layer of cream and 2 halves of strawberry and carefully place another shortbread biscuit on top. Continue this process.
• Dust the top biscuit with icing sugar and serve.

Mango and Pinepaple Eton Mess

• 50g fresh pineapple 1cm dice
• 25g fresh mango small dice
• 50g crushed meringue
• 75ml double cream
• Vanilla pod
• 20g icing sugar

Lightly whip cream, vanilla and sugar until you form soft peaks. Gently fold in mango, pineapple and meringue. Place into serving dishes of your choice, arrange and present any way desired and chill until required.