Strawberry sorbet with crème Chantilly and langues du chat biscuits recipe

As featured in the third episode of Rick Stein’s Food Stories, this is Rick’s strawberry sorbet with crème Chantilly and langues du chat biscuits recipe. Inspired by a visit to James Dyson’s strawberry farm, this a rather lovely light dessert to serve at home – the langues du chat biscuits are incredibly moreish. Rich, buttery but also light enough to mean you can eat several without feeling like you’ve overdone it.

As well as being able to recreate the recipe at home, it will also be gracing the menus in Sandbanks, Winchester, Marlborough, Barnes and St Petroc’s Bistro in Padstow.

Ingredients for Rick’s strawberry sorbet with crème Chantilly and langues du chat recipe

SERVES 4

• 500g fresh ripe strawberries, hulled
• 300ml water
• 150g sugar
• Juice of a lemon
• A few extra strawberries, sliced to serve

For the langues du chat biscuits – makes 20 biscuits

• 50g unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
• 50g golden caster sugar
• 1 large egg white
• 50g plain flour, sifted

For the crème Chantilly

• 150ml double or whipping cream
• 1 heaped tsp icing sugar, sifted
• ½ tsp vanilla paste or seeds scraped from a vanilla pod

How to make Rick’s strawberry sorbet with crème Chantilly and langues du chat recipe

1. Combine the water and sugar in a pan and stir until dissolved over a medium heat, when fully dissolved bring up to a boil and boil for 5-6 minutes until you have a viscous syrup. Allow to cool completely.
   
2. In a liquidiser blitz he strawberries and lemon juice to a smooth puree. Combine the purée with the cooled syrup and pour into your ice cream machine and churn until soft set then transfer to a Tupperware box and cover with a lid and freeze for a 3-4 hours until ready to serve. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can combine puree and syrup as above and pour into a Tupperware box and freeze for about an hour or until starting to freeze, then break up with a fork, to break the ice crystals. 
   
3. Return to the freezer for another hour and repeat another 2-3 times and freeze until set and ready to use. Sorbet should be slightly softened in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop.

1. For the langues du chat biscuits – Set the oven to 200c/180c fan. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.
   
2. With an electric whisk combine the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy and gradually whisk this into the egg and sugar mixture, when incorporated fold in the sifted flour. 
   
3. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe stripes about 7-8cm long well spaced to allow some spreading in the oven.
   
4. Bake for 7-8 minutes until golden around the edges, cool on the sheet for. A few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before use. Store in an airtight tin for a few days if required.

1. For the crème chantilly – Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl until thickened and holding soft peaks, take care not to overwhip. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Happy cooking