Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.

Place the salt, water, sugar (if using), and butter in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

When the water is starting to boil (butter should be melted at this point), add the flour in one go. Mix vigorously to absorb all of the water.

Cook the dough for 2 – 5 minutes until it pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.

Transfer the dough into a bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. Whisk the eggs in a jug.

Add vanilla extract if using, then mix in the eggs in 4 - 5 additions until the dough has a glossy sheen and is pipeable.

Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper and pipe circular mounds of dough.

For craquelin tops, place a disc of cookie on top of each mound. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let the pastry cases cool completely in a draft-free area.

Once cooled, the cases are ready to be filled.

Cream together butter, salt, and sugar until fluffy.

Add flour and mix until crumbly. Form a cohesive dough.

Split into portions, roll out in ziploc bags, and freeze overnight.

Cut 1.5 - 2 inch circles from the frozen dough and return to the freezer.

Heat strawberries and sugar until softened and sugar is dissolved.

Blend the strawberries until smooth and chill.

Bloom gelatin in water, then dissolve in the microwave.

Whisk cream, vanilla, and confectioner's sugar on medium speed, adding gelatin.

Whip until soft peaks, then add chilled strawberry coulis and whisk until thickened.

Mix diced strawberries and sugar in a bowl and let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Fill pastry cases from the bottom or cut and fill them.

Dust with confectioner's sugar and add sliced strawberry for decoration.

Serve immediately.