Strawberries Filled with “Clotted” Cream
Bobby Flay calls this recipe from his book Brunch @ Bobby’s “an easy, delicious approximation.” Instead of filling his strawberries with English-style clotted cream — a delicacy that is hard to find at most American grocery stores — the chef and cookbook author makes a version by blending whipped sweet cream with rich, silky mascarpone cheese. “It’s a delicious cheat, perfect for brunch—or afternoon tea,” Flay explains.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 oz./250 g) mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) heavy cream, very cold
- 3 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
- 1 tsp. grated orange zest
- 16 large fresh strawberries
Directions
Combine the mascarpone, cream, sugar, vanilla, vanilla bean seeds and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until soft peaks form. Scrape the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
The strawberries need to stand flat. Cut the green leaves off the strawberries so they will stand upright when placed on the platter. With a small, sharp knife, cut an X in each strawberry, cutting almost to the bottom. Gently, with your fingertips, spread each strawberry apart to make 4 “petals.”
Fill each strawberry carefully with the cream and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Reprinted from Brunch @ Bobby’s, Copyright © 2015 by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Shirley Jackson. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.