Strawberry season is in full swing here and I can’t get enough. I have them for breakfast, as a snack, even in salads, but where they really shine is in a good dessert with cream. At this time of year you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen baking so a quick make ahead dessert like this Strawberries Cookies and Cream Fridge Cake is ideal.

I’m almost embarrassed to post this as a recipe. Unless you make the cookies yourself from scratch, it is an easy no-bake assembly dessert. You might ask what is a fridge cake? It is simply a cake that uses cookies or wafers, layered with a cream or chocolate mixture and left in the fridge for several hours to set. This Chocolate Biscuit Cake is a fridge cake. This Strawberries Cookies and Cream Fridge Cake is an example of a fridge cake where the cream soaks into the cookies a bit and softens them so that it eats like a cake.

My earliest memory of this type of cake was making a fridge cake from dipping cookies into Baileys or sherry and sandwiching them together with whipped cream. They were laid on a plate in two log shapes and then another layer of whipped cream was spread over the top before putting it in the fridge over night. So simple, so good!

 

 

 

 

Useful tips & links:

• When I make the fridge cake with Baileys that I described above, I use plain whipped cream as it is rich enough. Here I’ve added mascarpone cheese to the cream, it can take it as the strawberries cut through the richness of the cake. It also increases the shelf life of the cake as fresh cream on it’s own goes off very quickly.
• I do not add any sugar to my cream as it is sweet enough for my tastes but many recipes do add icing sugar.
• This cake should ideally be left overnight in the fridge but if you are pushed for time four hours will do.
• I used shop bought cookies here, they don’t have to be particularly good. However, if you do want to make your own Chocolate Chip Cookies this recipe makes just enough to make this cake.
• For more strawberry desserts have a look here or see Caitriona’s gorgeous Eton Mess and Katia’s Strawberries and Cream Cake.

 

 

 

 

Strawberries Cookies and Cream Fridge Cake

Serves 10-12

 

Ingredients:

• 250g of mascarpone cheese
• 600ml of double cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 250g of strawberries, chopped, plus extra to garnish
• 350g of chocolate chip cookies – approx. 36 x 5cm cookies

Ingredients:

• Whisk together the mascarpone and 100ml of the cream just to soften the cheese to make it easier to incorporate into the cream.
• Whip the remaining cream with the vanilla until it is softly whipped. Gently fold the mascarpone mix into the whipped cream until fully incorporated.
• Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mix onto the bottom of an 20cm/8″ springform pan. Cover with a layer of chocolate chip cookies and sprinkle over some of the chopped strawberries.
• Spread a third of the cream cheese mix in an even layer over the cookies and strawberries. Repeat so that you have three layers, finishing with the cream on top.
• Put the cake in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the cookies to soften.
• When ready to serve, run a knife along the edge of the cake to free it from the tin before taking it out. Top with more strawberries and some grated chocolate before serving.