Quick cheat’s strawberry mousse

PREP: 20 MINS COOK: 5 MINS SERVES 4-5

Make the most of strawberries in this quick dessert, with a silky mascarpone layer complemented by a tangy compote, crunchy ginger biscuits and pistachios

500g strawberries, hulled and halved, any larger ones quartered

1 lemon, zested and juiced

100g caster sugar

150ml mascarpone

300ml double cream

1tbsp vanilla bean paste

TO SERVE

4 gingernut biscuits, crushed small handful of pistachios, roughly chopped (optional) freeze-dried strawberries, crushed (optional)

1 Put the strawberries, lemon juice, sugar and 2tbsp water in a large pan over a medium heat and cook for 5 mins until the fruit has softened. Scrape into a bowl and leave to cool. Tip 300g of the mixture into a blender (reserve the rest for later), blitz until smooth and sieve into a jug.

2 Whisk the mascarpone in a large bowl to soften, then add the double cream, vanilla bean paste and lemon zest, and whisk again until just starting to thicken. Fold in the blitzed, sieved strawberry puree to combine – it will thicken a bit more. Alternatively, swirl it through so you have layers of compote going through the mousse. It will keep chilled for up to a day. 3 Spoon or pipe the mousse into glass tumblers and top with the reserved strawberry compote, the gingernut crumbs, pistachios and dried strawberries, if you like.