SERVES 8

Strawberries growing in the wild are very rare in Iceland. However many Icelandic garden enthusiasts grow their own strawberries out in the open in the summertime using glass or plastic-covered boxes. These are only small-scale operations undertaken by green-fingered individuals, but large-scale production of strawberries also exists in geo-thermally-heated greenhouses, where expert gardeners grow this succulent fruit on a year-round basis.

The almond cake dough
¾ cup / 175 ml butter
¾ cup / 175 ml whole almonds
1 cup / 240 ml sugar
1 cup / 240 ml all purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
6 egg whites

Melt the butter in a small pot. While the butter is melting, put the almonds, the sugar and the flour in a blender and mix thoroughly at the same time chopping up the almonds. Put the contents of the blender in a bowl, add the baking powder and mix it in. Next pour in the melted butter and gently stir it in with the dry ingredients. Finally add the 6 egg whites and stir the dough until it is an even and soft paste.

The baking
2 cups / 470 ml strawberries
2 tbs butter
The almond cake dough

Slice the ends of the strawberries removing the green leaves. Lightly butter the inside of some ramekins and then pour in the almond-cake dough until each ramekin is about half full. Finally put the strawberries into the ramekins, uncut end up, pushing them down into the dough far enough for only the very end to be visible. The oven should be preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees centigrade. Put the ramekins into the oven, and bake the cakes for about 20 minutes.

The strawberry cream
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
8 strawberries

Whip the heavy cream until it is quite firm and even. Put it aside for a while. Chop up 8 strawberries and fold them gently in with the whipped cream.

Serving
8 strawberries

This dish is served while the almond cakes still are hot in the ramekins. Some strawberry cream is scooped on top of the cakes and a singled strawberry put on top of the cream for decoration and added eating pleasure.