Wash the strawberries thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Slice off the stem end of each strawberry to create a flat base so they can stand upright.

Place each strawberry cut-side down. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully cut an “X” into the pointed end, slicing approximately three-quarters of the way down. Be careful not to cut all the way through, as the strawberry should remain intact.

In a large bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk and instant vanilla pudding mix. Beat for approximately 2 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until smooth and well combined, being careful not to deflate the whipped cream.

Transfer the vanilla cream filling into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Carefully spread open the strawberry sections with your fingers and pipe the filling into the centre of each strawberry, allowing the cream to rise slightly above the top.

Arrange the filled strawberries on a serving platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.