This simple, light, creamy gateau is perfect to serve for dessert, or for a summer afternoon tea when strawberries are in season and at their sweet and juicy best.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

For the cake:

• 85 g/3 oz toasted hazelnuts
• 170 g/6 oz butter, at room temperature
• 140 g/5 oz caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 110 g/4 oz self-raising flour

To decorate:

• 240 ml/8 fl oz double cream
• 140 g/5 oz strawberries, hulled and chopped, plus extra to decorate
• 125 g/4½ oz toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4. Grease two 20-cm/8-inch round cake tins, then line the bases with greaseproof paper.

Put hazelnuts in a food processor and process until finely ground. Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour over the top, add the ground hazelnuts and fold in until combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and spread using the back of the spoon.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the cakes spring back when pressed lightly. Turn out onto a wire rack, gently peel off the waxed paper and leave to cool. Just before serving, whip the cream until it stands in soft peaks.

Spoon slightly less then half the whipped cream into a bowl. Fold in the chopped strawberries and half the chopped hazelnuts. Spoon the mixture on top of one cake and top with the second cake. Swirl the remaining cream on top, sprinkle with the remaining hazelnuts and decorate with more strawberries.