• Add a splash of prosecco! This sparkling Italian white wine (which is traditionally a little sweeter and kinder to your wallet than Champagne) comes in sweet and dry varieties, and is deliciously convivial. Christmas is the perfect time to add a splash of prosecco. We love the idea of adding bubbles to the recipe below; mixing a quick and celebratory cocktail by adding a dash of pomegranate concentrate and a few berries to glasses of chilled prosecco; or topping peach ice cream with a tot (or two) of prosecco for a summer float with a grown up makeover! Drunken berries with whipped vanilla cream is a quick, beautiful and flavour-packed dessert for the festive season.

    Drunken berries with whipped vanilla cream

    Serves: 4 - 6
    Cooking Time: 20 mins

    Ingredients

    • DRUNKEN BERRIES

    • 400g fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and chopped
    • 110g frozen/fresh pitted cherries
    • 120g frozen currants
    • 10ml (2 tsp) vanilla essence
    • 60ml (4 tbsp) icing sugar, sifted
    • 120ml prosecco
    • VANILLA CREAM

    • 250ml (1 cup) fresh cream
    • 10ml (2 tsp) vanilla essence/paste
    • 60ml (4 tbsp) icing sugar, sifted

    Instructions

    1

    For the drunken berries, put the strawberries, cherries, currants, vanilla essence and icing sugar in a medium glass bowl. Toss to coat the medley of berries in the vanilla and icing sugar. Add the prosecco, and stir to incorporate the berries and bubbles, then allow to rest at room temperature until serving.

    2

    For the vanilla cream, just before serving, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whip with a whisk or electric beaters until soft peaks form. Serve the drunken berries in dessert bowls or Champagne coupes, topped with dollops whipped vanilla cream. Eat and be merry!

    ALSO SEE: Meringue and gingerbread wreath with fig and raspberry ice cream

    Meringue and gingerbread wreath with fig and raspberry ice cream

    Recipe and styling by Claire Ferrandi

    Photograph by Dylan Swart

    Imka Webb
    Author

    Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine.  www.imkawebb.com