Karen Wright: Time for a spot of tennis – with strawberries and Fraisier cake!

Tennis is the only sport I really get behind and that’s once a year, the tournament being of course Wimbledon, which starts this week. And I can’t wait!

As with most things that have happened for as long as you can remember, memories get sparked. My earliest memory of the tournament is coming home from junior school and my mam watching it on our black and white TV. Love, Deuce, Advantage became familiar words.

Also the names of top players back then like Ashe, Năstase, Roach, Billie Jean King, Virginia Wade, Ann Jones etc.

The following decade tennis seemed to move up a gear and Wimbledon was no longer the steady game I was used to. We had colour TV now which was so exciting and the players became personalities.

Who can forget the young John McEnroe with his wild hair and mantra “You can’t be serious?” as well as Boris Becker, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert and Martina.

Strawberries and cream are synonymous with Wimbledon, strawberries being in season and delicious. I recently made this Fraisier Cake. Fraise is strawberry in French and this cake is in every patisserie in France.

The cake consists of two layers of Genoise sponge with strawberries and freshly made Crème Patisserie in between. On the top is a thin layer of strawberry jelly and a few strawberries.

Genoise is a fatless light sponge. It relies on eggs and sugar being whipped to mousse-like consistency to ensure the cake rises. Plain flour must be folded in gently to avoid the mixture deflating.

A bowl of strawberries and cream is scrumptious on its own. However, I do have a couple of twists! Strawberries are great with a grind of black pepper while cream lifts to another level if you add a splash of balsamic vinegar as you whip it. Try it!

For more tips and recipes go to http://www.karenwrightbakes.co.uk