Strawberry and Elderflower Sundae
Taken from The Changing Tides by Roberta Hall-McCarron
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 400g strawberries
- 80g sugar
- 2 tsp strawberry vinegar or white balsamic
- 50g flaked almonds, toasted
- 30g almond butter
- 10g icing sugar
- salt
- 150ml fridge-cold double cream
- 40ml elderflower cordial
- 500g tub of shop-bought vanilla ice cream
An ice cream sundae always makes me feel like a big kid – I love them! This recipe has a more grown-up feel to it, but bags of nostalgia too. The perfect way to celebrate the first Scottish strawberries.
Method
The strawberry compote is very simple to make but you need to start it the day before. Cut the strawberries into 2cm pieces and put them in a single layer on a tray in the freezer overnight. The next morning, once they are frozen solid, mix them with the sugar and leave to defrost at room temperature, stirring occasionally. Strain through a sieve set over a bowl and keep the juice. Add the vinegar to the juice, then taste and adjust – you don’t need too much, just a splash to cut through the sweet flavours.
To make the almond crunch, put the toasted flaked almonds in a bowl with the almond butter, icing sugar and salt and combine (using your hands is easiest).
For the elderflower Chantilly, just mix the cream and the cordial together in a bowl and whip to soft peaks.
Build up the sundae in layers: first a spoonful of the strained strawberries, then a scoop or two of ice cream, then another layer of strawberries and a good drizzle of the juice. Repeat until you get to the top of the glass, then top with a pile of elderflower Chantilly and a handful of almond crunch.
