Yes, I know, it’s been a while since I posted any new recipes. What was meant to be a fortnight’s break turned into triple that. What was I doing during this time? Well, obviously not writing. Like everyone, I was navigating the world today, i.e. trying to conjure a career into existence and figure out ‘what I want to do when I grow up’. 

Oh, and I went to India for a wedding. During which I learnt: 1) everything is spicy, even the ‘not spicy’ option; 2) shaking one’s head seems to mean everything but no; 3) do not presume to have a superior gut microbiome: you will s*** yourself.

Having fully recovered from the trip, I now feel physically capable to dive back into the food, flavours and culinary fusions that excite me. And, at the moment, I’m all about whipping up dishes that feel effortlessly summery: the edible equivalent to throwing on a beach kaftan. 

So, on the subject of ‘whipping’ and following on from my last post, I continue on the subject of strawberries. They’re still widely available and, right now, increasingly a little too ripe. 

This recipe was borne out of wanting a healthy yet indulgent summer-time breakfast. I use Skyr, an icelandic protein-rich yoghurt. On its own, I find it a little too claggy to enjoy—regardless of the health benefits it claims to have. However, whipped up in this way, with equal parts refreshingly soft-set strawberries, it strikes the perfect balanced ‘mouth-feel’. 

The recipe makes enough for two, on the assumption that you want your weekend mornings covered. You could also share them, of course, but it’s not like me to suggest that in the first instance. 

It also doubles up exceptionally as an after-dinner treat, when the Skyr is replaced with the same amount of mascarpone (but be warned, this is for those who loooove creamy desserts). See below for more suggestions on how to make it more breakfast or dessert-’conscious’.

A few notes on the recipe: 

As with almost all my breakfast recipes, this one is primed to be adapted (see On The Matter of Breakfast Toppings for ideas). Some initial suggestions I’d have is: adding rosewater to the strawberries (just a tad, to avoid soapy notes), and you could of course swap out the strawberry ‘jam’ for the Rose, Rhubarb and Strawberry Delight compote in my last post. For toppings, cacao nibs or dark chocolate shards—ever a good accompaniment to strawberries—would also work well, as would toasted pumpkin seeds (I do love the pink, green and white hues together) or granola. 

If you wanted to make this with mascarpone instead, consider scraping out a vanilla pod and dispensing the seeds into the mixture instead of using vanilla essence. I also wouldn’t dismiss the thought of having the mascarpone version for breakfast. According to ChatGPT—I left math behind with geography at secondary school—the calorie content would be equivalent to most typical breakfasts (porridge, Greek yoghurt, scrambled eggs on toast, eggs benedict, etc.) but, I hear you, the fat content may still be a little too high for it to be considered a serious breakfast contender. If you agree, or want a toned-down dessert, try halving the ingredients for the mascarpone layer so that it presents as a luscious upper crust and not a rich mantle.*

*Yes, I do feel compelled to point out my geography pun.