Strawberries with Cream

Rinse the strawberries thoroughly under cold water and remove the green hulls, then pat dry with paper towels. Set aside 500g of the best-looking berries for garnish and slice the remaining strawberries in half.

Pour 1½ liters of milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom.

While the milk heats, combine 7 egg yolks with 500g sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk vigorously until the mixture becomes pale and thick, about 3-4 minutes.

Dissolve 2 tablespoons of starch in 3-4 tablespoons of cold water to create a smooth slurry, then whisk this into the egg and sugar mixture until fully incorporated.

When the milk is steaming hot but not boiling, slowly ladle small amounts into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks and prevent scrambling.

Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking continuously over medium heat. Add the vanilla bean (split lengthwise to release seeds) or vanilla flavoring.

Continue stirring until the cream thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve if desired for a silky texture, then let cool to room temperature.

Break the waffle into irregular pieces and arrange them in shallow serving bowls or on individual plates as the base.

Layer the sliced strawberries over the waffle pieces, then pour the warm or cooled custard cream over the top.

Garnish each serving with the reserved whole strawberries and serve immediately while the cream is still warm or chilled, according to preference.