|
||||||
This is such a great dessert to serve to a large group (we had 16 people that night) and some of the guests helped form an assembly line when it came time to serve dessert. This makes it much easier, since there is a bit of assembly required with strawberry shortcake.
When it comes to strawberry shortcake, making a delicious biscuit is crucial and I found this recipe from Fine Cooking and made a few adjustments. We really loved the way it tasted. One of our guests has celiac disease, so I made her shortcake with Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, which you can substitute on a cup for cup basis, without having to add any other ingredients. While the gluten-free version looked much different than the rest (the top was much more crackled and the color was slightly darker), it tasted very similar. The texture of the gluten-free version was also a bit grainier, which seems to be the case with anything I've ever made with non-wheat flour.
Serve any extra strawberry glaze in a pitcher or bowl.
Shortcake
(Makes about 1 dozen)
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick (4 ounces or 1/2 cup) butter
1 egg
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sour milk (milk with 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar mixed in)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray or grease a baking sheet, or cover with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the stick of butter into small pieces and add to dried mixture. Using finger tips or a pastry cutter, cut butter into dried mixture until butter is blended in and crumbly.
In a large glass measuring cup, or a small bowl, beat egg with cream and sour milk, and stir wet mixture into dried with a large fork until well-blended. Gather it into a large ball and turn out onto a floured cutting board. Roll out until about 3/4 inches thick. Cut into 12 round biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Dip cutter into flour as needed to keep from sticking.
Place biscuits onto prepared baking sheet and bake for approximately 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack until ready to use. Can be prepared a day or two ahead.
Strawberry Glaze
INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh strawberries, stems and leaves removed
1 cup water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup granulated sugar
DIRECTIONS
Place strawberries and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil for about 4-5 minutes. Turn off heat, and mash berries with a large spoon. Pour mixture through a sieve, scraping the fruit through the sieve to get as much flavor as possible. Discard any leftover strawberry pulp that won't get through the sieve. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the sieve, because there is a lot of good stuff that will accumulate there. Add it to the sieved liquids.
Mix cornstarch with about 1-2 tablespoons of hot water, in order to make a paste. This prevents the cornstarch from getting lumpy. Add cornstarch-water and sugar to the strawberry mixture. Bring to a boil, and continue on a rolling boiling for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Strawberries
2 pints of fresh strawberries (Reserve 1 fresh berry per serving for garnish.)
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Remove stems, leaves and any bad spots from the strawberries. Cut into bite-sized pieces and toss together with powdered sugar and vanilla. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
Whip cream until stiff peaks. Fold in vanilla and sugar.
To Serve:
Cut shortcakes in half horizontally. Place a spoonful of berries over the bottom half. Then add a large spoonful of the strawberry glaze and a dollop of the whipped cream. Place top half over the bottom portion and repeat the process. Garnish with a whole or half strawberry on top! Serve extra glaze in a bowl for added flavor.
(Makes about 1 dozen)
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick (4 ounces or 1/2 cup) butter
1 egg
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sour milk (milk with 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar mixed in)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray or grease a baking sheet, or cover with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the stick of butter into small pieces and add to dried mixture. Using finger tips or a pastry cutter, cut butter into dried mixture until butter is blended in and crumbly.
In a large glass measuring cup, or a small bowl, beat egg with cream and sour milk, and stir wet mixture into dried with a large fork until well-blended. Gather it into a large ball and turn out onto a floured cutting board. Roll out until about 3/4 inches thick. Cut into 12 round biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Dip cutter into flour as needed to keep from sticking.
Place biscuits onto prepared baking sheet and bake for approximately 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack until ready to use. Can be prepared a day or two ahead.
Strawberry Glaze
INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh strawberries, stems and leaves removed
1 cup water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup granulated sugar
DIRECTIONS
Place strawberries and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil for about 4-5 minutes. Turn off heat, and mash berries with a large spoon. Pour mixture through a sieve, scraping the fruit through the sieve to get as much flavor as possible. Discard any leftover strawberry pulp that won't get through the sieve. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the sieve, because there is a lot of good stuff that will accumulate there. Add it to the sieved liquids.
Mix cornstarch with about 1-2 tablespoons of hot water, in order to make a paste. This prevents the cornstarch from getting lumpy. Add cornstarch-water and sugar to the strawberry mixture. Bring to a boil, and continue on a rolling boiling for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Strawberries
2 pints of fresh strawberries (Reserve 1 fresh berry per serving for garnish.)
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Remove stems, leaves and any bad spots from the strawberries. Cut into bite-sized pieces and toss together with powdered sugar and vanilla. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
Whip cream until stiff peaks. Fold in vanilla and sugar.
To Serve:
Cut shortcakes in half horizontally. Place a spoonful of berries over the bottom half. Then add a large spoonful of the strawberry glaze and a dollop of the whipped cream. Place top half over the bottom portion and repeat the process. Garnish with a whole or half strawberry on top! Serve extra glaze in a bowl for added flavor.
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA