Smashing Wimbledon Desserts to Serve this Summer

You’re holding court over a summer dinner. The main is finished and now all eyes are on you to serve up a winner, in the form of a delicious dessert. Make it a cause for celebration with these easy summer desserts inspired by Britain’s most famous tennis tournament.

Wimbledon is one and the same with tastes of a sweet British summer, including plump, juicy strawberries, lashings of fresh cream and all washed down with sparkling, fruit filled Pimm’s. So it’ll be no surprise to see that our list includes some stunning strawberry dessert recipes and our pick of Pimm’s desserts. So, sit back and polish up your spoon as our Wimbledon desserts take centre stage (or rather, centre court).

Stunning Strawberry Dessert Recipes

1. - Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake

Wimbledon inspired, easy summer desserts don’t get much easier, or tastier, than this one. To give it an even greater nod to the famous tournament, we’ve included shortbread biscuits as a nod to Britain’s most recent Men’s Singles Champion, Andy Murray.

Take a packet of shortbread fingers and using a rolling pin, crush the biscuits into thick crumbs. Take a 20cm deep round cake tin and line with greaseproof paper, before filling the bottom of the tin with a thin layer of your crushed shortbread.

In a large mixing bowl, beat 400g of cream cheese until a light fluffy texture is achieved, before adding in 150g of caster sugar and gradually add 400g of double cream and beat until stiff peaks form.

Now prep your strawberries. The classic way to serve authentic Wimbledon strawberries and cream is to mix whole, de-stemmed strawberries with lemon juice and sugar. You’ll need a 300g punnet full for the cake and the presentation. Once prepared, halve enough of your strawberries that you can line the edge of your tin, so that the wider end of the strawberries rest on the shortbread base, and the cut half rests on the inner edge of the tin. Add whole strawberries evenly spaced across the rest of your base, before topping with your cream cheese mix. Leave to refrigerate for 5 hours, then top with a handful of your chopped strawberries and serve.

2. Wimbledon Cake

Want to capture the theatre of Wimbledon at the dinner table? You certainly will as you bring out this glorious Wimbledon Cake. This is a Wimbledon twist on the classic Victoria Sponge, but this time the jam has given way to strawberries.

Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease your 20cm deep round cake tin before adding a layer of greaseproof paper.

Take three large egg yolks (save the whites, you will need those later!), 100g of caster sugar, the juice and the rind of a single orange and 75g of semolina. Place in a bowl and mix well until blended together. In a separate bowl, whisk up your leftover egg whites until stiff but don’t let them go dry and fold in your semolina mixture before pouring into your tin.

Bake for 35 minutes until the cake rises and springs back when pressed. Leave to cool slightly and then, in true Victoria sponge style, cut it in half horizontally.

As in the cheesecake recipe above, prepare 200g of strawberries in true Wimbledon fashion. Leave roughly six strawberries for the presentation and slice in half the rest. For a real summery twist and some extra moisture, take a whole passion fruit and scoop out the pulp. Add the strawberries and pulp to 150ml of whipped double cream and mix together. Pour the creamy mixture on the lower layer of your Wimbledon cake and apply the second half on top. Halve your remaining strawberries and add to the top with a dusting of icing sugar. Game, set, match!

3. Arroz Con Leche with Strawberries in Sherry

Wimbledon sees the best Tennis players from around the world join on SW19, and one of the international favourites for the title each year is Spain’s Rafael Nadal. To give our strawberry dessert recipes an international twist, we’ve taken inspiration from ‘Rafa’s’ nation, with this tantalising, rice pudding trifle.

This recipe will make 6 small trifles. In a heavy bottomed pan, add one litre of full fat milk, 75g of golden caster sugar and two thick strips of lemon zest and orange zest and a tsp of cinnamon. Bring slowly to the boil and stir frequently to dissolve the sugar. Take the pan off the heat and leave to infuse for half an hour.

Bring it to the boil again and then add 200g of short-grain rice before bringing the heat back down. Stir from time to time to make sure the rice doesn’t burn at the bottom of the pan and once tender, leave to cool. Remove the zests and then pour in ½ tbsp of lemon juice and 100ml of double cream. Leave to thicken in the fridge.

Take 350g of strawberries and slice thinly. Place in a bowl with 3 tbsp of golden caster sugar, 1 tbsp of orange juice, 1 tsp of finely grated orange zest and 3 ½ tbsp of medium sherry. Leave to infuse for 20 minutes, turning the mixture now and then to avoid the fruit getting too soggy. Divide your rice pudding between 6 glasses or dishes and add with the fruit – Wimbledon dessert with a Spanish flavour!

Our Pick of Pimm’s Desserts

4. Pimm’s Jelly Recipe

Nothing is served more frequently at the bars around Wimbledon than Pimm’s. Capture all of the refreshing summer flavours in a dessert with this Pimm’s jelly recipe.

Take seven gelatine leaves and place in a bowl of cold water to soften for five minutes. Heat 600ml of apple juice, with 2 tbsp of golden caster sugar until steaming. Remove the pan from the heat, then return to your softened gelatine. Squeeze out the water from the gelatine and add to the pan one leaf at a time until dissolved. Add in 250ml of Pimm’s and stir until smooth.

Prepare 6 strawberries in the Wimbledon way above, then chop into chunks. Take a 300g can of mandarin segments in juice, drain and then divide these and the strawberries evenly between 6 jam jars. Pour over the Pimm’s and apple jelly mixture and add to the fridge to set for at least four hours.

Top each of your jellies with a thin slice of cucumber and a sprig of mint for a true take on the popular Wimbledon tipple. And there you have it! A super refreshing Pimm’s pudding to serve this summer.

5. Pimm’s Scones

These are a combination of two British classics served up at Wimbledon – scones and Pimm’s. You can find the full details of this easy summer dessert recipe in our Wimbledon Food Ideas blog. It also includes some delicious ideas if you are looking to serve a full Wimbledon feast rather than just a Wimbledon Dessert.

Wimbledon creates great excitement during the summer and you can do the same at your next summer dinner party. When it’s your time to serve, make sure you serve up something memorable with these Wimbledon desserts. Find everything you need to make these easy summer desserts at your local convenience store.