Ingredients

Step by step

1. Put the roughly chopped mint, 400g of the strawberries, the cucumber and 100g of the sugar into a large bowl. Give it a good stir, cover dand leave to one side for at least 2 hours to macerate, or the fruit can be left overnight in the fridge.
2. Strain the liquid from the fruit through a fine sieve into a small saucepan, making sure to extract as much as you can by pressing with the back of a spoon. Discard the fruit. Put the saucepan over a low heat and reduce until slightly thick and syrupy. Mix in a shallow bowl with the lemonade and 75ml Pimm’s.
3. Separate the egg whites and yolks into two separate large bowls. Beat the egg whites with an electric whisk until they are stiff and holding their peaks. Add 125g sugar to the egg yolks along with 25ml Pimm’s and the Grand Marnier, if using. Beat this mixture with the electric whisk until really pale and thick, and a ribbon trail holds. Whisk in the mascarpone a bit at a time until smooth. Mix in a large spoonful of the egg whites to loosen, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
4. Dip each sponge finger into the lemonade Pimm’s syrup mixture, allowing it to absorb but don’t let it get too soggy. Lay half of them in a 30 x 20cm deep dish and spoon over half of the mascarpone mixture. Spread out well and add two thirds of the remaining strawberries in a generous layer, then sprinkle over most of the finely chopped mint. Add another layer of soaked sponge fingers, the final bit of mascarpone mixture and layer the remaining strawberries over in a nice pattern. Lightly brush the leftover soaking mixture over the strawberries and top with the last bit of mint. Leave to set up in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
5. Watch this...

   Pimm's tiramisu