Strawberry shortcake is a classic summer dessert for good reason. Sweet juicy berries paired with cool cream and buttery biscuits make a delectable combination. Why not make shortcakes with other summer fruits as well?
Using Fresh Fruit and Berries
The ingredients in a fruit shortcake are simple: fresh fruit or berries, a biscuit and whipped cream. However, because of its simple composition, it's important that each element is perfect. The fruit should be in season and sweet and juicy. Sugar can be added to taste; add it 1 Tablespoon at a time and taste with each addition. The sweetened fruit or berries can be lightly mashed if desired to bring out their juices (blueberries and raspberries benefit from being cooked in a saucepan for a short time). Additional flavours can be added to enhance the fruit but do so with restraint - fresh fruit at its peak does not require much embellishment. Some suggestions include a pinch of nutmeg with blueberries, a splash of amaretto with peaches or a spoonful of balsamic with strawberries. Calculate about 1 cup of sweetened fruit per serving.
Making Biscuits
Fresh biscuits are the key to a good shortcake and many cooks get nervous about working with pastry. However, by following a few pointers, biscuits are not difficult. Be sure to use cold butter and don't overwork the dough, which will make it tough.
See below for a delicious biscuit recipe that will work with virtually any summer fruit or berry.
Topping it Off
The final ingredient, whipped cream, is fairly simple. Cream will roughly double in volume once whipped. Start with chilled fresh cream that is labeled 'whipping cream' and contains at least 30% milk fat. Use a metal or glass bowl and chill the beaters and bowl for a short time in the freezer. Whip on high speed until it begins to thicken and add 1 teaspoon sugar per ½ cup of unwhipped cream. Continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks. Do not over whip or it will turn to butter. Calculate about ½ cup of whipped cream per serving (equals about ¼ cup unwhipped liquid cream per person).
Vanilla Biscuits
Makes between 12 and 15 small biscuits
- 2-1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for countertop
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- Seeds scraped from 1 whole vanilla bean
- 5 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup milk
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, 2 Tablespoons sugar and vanilla bean seeds and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Using a pastry cutter or two sharp knives, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles small pebbles.
- In a measuring cup, add egg and milk and whisk together until combined. Pour into the dry ingredients. Stir mixture briefly until it just comes together as a dough.
- Sprinkle a small amount of flour onto a clean countertop or pastry board. Turn dough out onto the counter and gently knead for about 10 seconds. If the dough is very wet, add a bit more flour.
- Gently pat the biscuit dough into a circle about 2" thick. Using a cookie cutter or the top of a glass, cut the dough into 2" circles. Re-shape the leftover dough and use it to cut out more biscuits.
- Place biscuits in a pie plate so they're just touching each other. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tablespoon sugar. Let the biscuits rise for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are browned.
Split a biscuit and place in a bowl. Spoon ½ cup of sweetened fruit over the biscuit. Place the top of the biscuit over the fruit and spoon about another 1/2 cup of fruit over. Top with about 1/2 cup whipped cream. Extra biscuits can be frozen and thawed at room temperature.
 |
