One of my favorite things about Wimbledon, the British tennis tournament, is the popularity of the combination of strawberries and cream. Sliced, juicy, ripe strawberries are smothered in cream topped off with a little sugar. I like to lightly beat my cream by hand so it’s a little fluffier and add just a touch of Grand Marnier liqueur to amp up the flavor. I had a Grand Marnier-infused whipped cream over mixed berries years ago at the famed New York steakhouse, Spark’s, and have been thinking about it ever since. A small amount of alcohol is used but it really enhances the flavors and complements the berries in the dessert. Pair with a Pimm’s cup and enjoy some tennis.

Strawberries and Cream

Strawberries and Cream

How Strawberries and Cream Became Wimbledon’s Signature

The combination of the fruit and cream can be traced back to 1509 when Thomas Woosley served it to England’s Henry VIII. Strawberries are at their peak in July when the tournament is played and when the tournament began in 1877, fresh strawberries with heavy cream were considered the height of luxury in the Victorian era. According to the Wimbledon website, the tennis tournament serves about 191,000 portions of strawberries each year during the 2 week period.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Strawberries – Strawberries are at their peak in summer, the kind that are deep red and when you bite into them they are incredibly juicy and sweet. Strawberries won’t continue to ripen once they are picked off the vine. When buying the fruit, look for ones that are already completely bright red with no white around the top. To store strawberries, place in a container in a single layer then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. They should stay fresh for up to a week.
Cream – Heavy cream is made from milk with at least 36% fat. Heavy cream and whipping cream only have slight differences so they can pretty much be used interchangeably. Heavy cream has a slightly higher minimum fat content which makes for a heavier whipped cream. I don’t add any additional sugar when gently whipping the cream. I do it by hand but it can easily be done in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.
Sugar – Garnishing the fresh fruit and cream with a little granulated sugar adds a sweet touch and contrast of texture.
Grand Marnier – This French orange liqueur brightens the cream in this recipe that rounds out the sweet berries. It’s made with cognac brandy distilled with bitter orange and sugar. For an alcohol-free cream, simply omit this ingredient.

How to Make Strawberries and Cream

Step 1: Lightly whip the cream.

Add the heavy whipping cream to a bowl and beat with a whisk until the mixture is lighter and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes (unlike whipped cream, you don’t want stiff peaks).

Step 2: Add the Grand Marnier.

Add the Grand Marnier and fold it in with a rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3: Assemble and serve.

Divide the sliced berries among small bowls and top with the Grand Marnier whipped cream followed by a sprinkle of sugar. Serve immediately.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

How to Make This Alcohol-Free

The alcohol-infused whipped cream includes just a touch of liqueur to enhance the flavor. If you prefer to make it without it, simply omit it in this recipe. You can also flambé (safely light the liqueur on fire) to burn the alcohol off before adding it to the cream or replace it with 1 teaspoon orange zest if you wish to add an orange flavor. A teaspoon of vanilla extract can also be used instead.

Swaps and Substitutions

Strawberries and cream is served at the tennis tournament, Wimbledon with only (you guessed it) strawberries. You can also make this recipe with a combination of berries including raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.
Try swapping the berries for sliced stone fruit like peaches.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this strawberries and cream recipe, I recommend checking out these:

Strawberries and Cream

By Kylie Mazon-Chambers

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 0

Serves

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

▢ 1 cup heavy cream
▢ 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
▢ 3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions:

Add the heavy cream to a bowl and beat with a whisk until the mixture is lighter and slightly fluffy but not as stiff as whipped cream, about 2 minutes. It should still be slightly runny when poured from a spoon.
Add the Grand Marnier and fold it in with a rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Divide the sliced berries among small bowls and top with the Grand Marnier whipped cream followed by a sprinkle of sugar. Serve immediately.

Notes:

You can also make this recipe with a combination of berries including raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.

Try swapping the berries for sliced stone fruit like peaches.

Nutrition:

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Strawberries and Cream

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