Strawberry season has started early where I live and these beautiful, luscious, sweet and juicy strawberries were just begging to be eaten. I read in a wonderful book by one of my favourite authors, Helene Hanff, of 84 Charing Cross Road fame, a 19th century quote about strawberries – “Doubtless God could have made a better berry than the strawberry, and doubtless He did not”. When they are as perfect as the strawberries we ate yesterday I must agree. The yoghurt cream I topped them with is very versatile and works with any soft fruit, but is especially good with berries. It’s not sweet, as it is made with greek yoghurt, but the syrupy, slightly crunchy sugar topping is all that’s needed to satisfy. For the best effect make it a couple of hours before you want to eat it.
Serves 6
300 ml thickened cream
1 cup thick greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons demerrara sugar (raw sugar also works fine)
2 punnets of ripe berries (500 g)
In a medium bowl whip the cream until soft peaks form, Stir in the greek yoghurt and vanilla and mix well. In pretty glasses or small glass bowls tumble in the berries, which have been cut into bite-sized pieces. Top with generous spoonfuls of the yoghurt cream and then distribute the brown sugar over the top. Finally, sprinkle over the demerrara sugar and then put in the fridge for a couple of hours. The brown sugar will become slightly syrupy and the demerrara sugar will retain a little crunch. Yum, yum.
Simple food 
I loved that book as well. Have you read the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie and Literary Society? Also a big treat in my view. Yogurt cream looks great.
Haven’t read it but it is on my list. Have lots of friends who loved it.