No-cook strawberry & balsamic tartlets

• double cream↗150ml ml
• icing sugar↗50g g

  plus extra for dusting

• aged balsamic vinegar↗2 tbsp tbsp
• cracked black pepper↗few pinches of
• small sweet pastry cases6
• strawberries↗480g g

  (the best quality you can find)

• meringues

  and Thai basil leaves, to serve (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Whisk the cream with the icing sugar until it just starts to hold its shape – be careful not to take it too far as it will stiffen as soon as you add the vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the balsamic and cracked black pepper, transfer to a container, cover and chill until needed.

2. 2

   To construct the tarts, spoon a generous portion of the cream into the tart cases. Slice the strawberries and fan them out over the top of the tarts. Dust lightly with more icing sugar and scatter with lightly‑crushed meringue and Thai basil leaves, if you like. Add a bit of cracked black pepper to finish, and serve.