In May, when the strawberries start to ripen, our thoughts turn to sweet, scrumptious desserts. In France, as in the UK, strawberries are a firm favourite, a taste of sunny days and summer breezes.

Inspired by French classic strawberry desserts, these super easy to make recipes for Strawberry Pie and Strawberry clafoutis are mouth-wateringly delicious and quite irresistible.

Strawberry Clafoutis

Ingredients for 4 strawberry lovers!

75ml fresh milk, full-fat

75ml single cream

1 vanilla pod, halved and seeds scraped out

1 large free-range eggs

50g caster sugar

12g cornflour

125g fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half

Icing sugar, to sprinkle

Directions

1 Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Butter a medium gratin dish or 4 small ramekins.

2 Pour the milk, cream, vanilla pod and the seeds into a saucepan; bring to the boil and then take off the heat and allow to infuse for around two hours.

3 Beat the eggs and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until thick and frothy, add the corn flour and continue to beat until smooth.

4 Remove the vanilla pod from the milk and cream mix and pour into the egg mixture, whisking all the time.

5 Arrange the fresh strawberries in the buttered dish/dishes and then the custard over the top. Place the dish into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the custard is golden brown and set in the middle.

6 Sprinkle icing sugar over the top and serve just warm or at room temperature with cream and fresh strawberries.

Strawberry and cream Pie

Ingredients: serves 6

1 packet of shortcrust pastry

240 ml whipping cream

40g cup caster sugar

500g strawberries, halved

Directions

1 Bake the shortcrust pastry blind. Let it cool.

2 Whisk the cream until it starts to thicken and then add the caster sugar. Keep whisking until the cream is fluffy.

3 When the pastry is cool, spread the whipped cream on the bottom, then arrange the strawberries as prettily as you can on top.

Serve immediately.