Fill a pot halfway with water and bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat

Cut <quantity>1</quantity> vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Reserve the pod

Add <quantity>250<unit>ml</unit></quantity> of cold double cream and the vanilla seeds to a bowl. Reserve in the refrigerator

Remove the stems of <quantity>250<unit>g</unit></quantity> of strawberries and add them to a bowl that is slightly larger than the pot of simmering water

Add <quantity>2<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of caster sugar and crush them by hand

Cut the vanilla pod in half and add to the strawberries

Cover the bowl with cling film and place it over the simmering water. Let it cook for 30m, shaking occasionally, until the strawberries are very soft and a syrup is formed

Sieve the strawberries, squeezing lightly to extract all the juices. Let it cool a bit on the kitchen counter. Reserve the pulp for other preparations

Add <quantity>2<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of powdered sugar to the reserved cream and whisk it until soft peaks form

Trim and halve <quantity>500<unit>g</unit></quantity> of strawberries. Combine them with the strawberry syrup

Plate the strawberries with the syrup and serve with a portion of the whipped cream. The strawberries & cream are ready

Enjoy! You can also add some meringue or nuts for a crunchy touch.