Easy Strawberry Dessert

A very easy way to serve strawberries and a childhood favorite of mine. Whenever we had helped my German grandmother picking the strawberries in her garden she would treat us to this dessert. As children we liked to mix the cream into the juice from the strawberries to color it pink. Today I prefer it "unmixed". Whipping cream (in Germany) is a cream with a 30 percent fat content, which allows it to be whipped stiff. Use heavy cream if it is unavailable.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  pints strawberries
• 1 -2  tablespoon sugar
• 2  teaspoons lemon juice
• 1  cup  whipping cream or 1  cup heavy cream
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Directions

1. Rinse strawberries carefully, remove stems, cut large berries in bite-sized pieces. Put in a bowl.
2. Depending on sweetness of strawberries and your personal tastes sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Stir carefully until mixed.
3. Beat well cooled whipping cream on low until it starts to thicken. Add sugar (and vanilla) and beat on medium speed until stiff. Don't overbeat or you'll get sweetened butter and buttermilk. :)Put cream in a second bowl.
4. For serving: Put bowls on table together with individual serving bowls, so that everybody might help themselves.
5. Put some strawberries with juice in an individual bowl and top with as much (or as little) cream as desired.
6. You can prepare the strawberries a few hours ahead and keep them in the fridge. Remove one hour before serving so they might get room temperature. They will develop a lot of juice while sitting in the fridge, if you don't like this, serve within 1 hour of preparation. Always whip the cream just before serving.