My strawberries have come into their own this year since I planted them in a large box with a cover to keep the birdies and critters out. I’ve been trying to grow them for the past three years, but thanks to all the other creatures getting to them, I’ve managed to get only a few. Well, that problem has been solved, and now I’m finally getting bunches at a time—enough to make recipes. Yay!
I don’t know where I got this idea from, but I had to try it. I thought of making strawberry shortcakes with croissants, and suddenly, I couldn’t get the idea out of my head until I went shopping for the croissants. All I could find were almond ones, and I couldn’t help but think so much the better.
I also thought it was a great excuse to make lavender whipped cream. Then I realized that I had also stashed away a small tub of mascarpone cheese, so I added some to make the cream more stable. The results are heavenly. The mascarpone adds the tiniest bit of tang and thickens the cream considerably.
One more reason I love this idea is that it’s perfect during a heat wave. In purchasing croissants, there is no oven to heat up and make you hotter. Making whipped cream takes a few minutes—literally no sweat!
Lavender Mascarpone Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup whipping cream, as cold as possible
- 1 Tbsp culinary lavender
- ⅓ mascarpone cheese, also as cold as possible
- ¼ cup sugar
Stir the lavender into the whipping cream and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour to infuse it with flavor. You also want it to be as cold as possible for it to whip properly.
Soften the mascarpone by slowly beating it in a stand mixer with the wire whip or a hand mixer. Add the whipped cream and blend the two ingredients. Gradually add the sugar a tablespoon at a time until it’s all incorporated. Whip the mixture into stiff peaks.
The whipped cream can be used for just about anything, though it must be used within a few days. Filling croissants with it, along with some berries, is not a bad idea. I’m sure it would also make a really nice frosting for a cake instead of too sweet buttercream. As for me, I like the leftovers in morning coffee. It’s a great way to wake up!
