-SHORTCAKE BISCUITS-
2 c Self-rising cake flour
2 tb Sugar
1 Stick unsalted butter
3/4 c Buttermilk; milk or cream
2 tb Buttermilk
2 tb Sugar
-FILLING AND FINISHING-
1 qt Strawberries
1/3 c Sugar
1 tb Lemon juice
1 1/2 c Heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and set a rack in the middle level.
In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar and stir well to mix. Cut the butter
into 8 or 10 pieces and rub into the dry ingredients until the mixture
resembles coarse meal (or pulse in a food processor fitted with the metal
blade). Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Stir gently with
a fork to mix in the buttermilk, being careful not to overwork the dough.
Let the dough stand in the bowl for a minute or two to let the flour absorb
the liquid.
For a large shortcake, pat the dough into a 9-inch disk on a
parchment-lined cookie sheet. For individual shortcakes, pat the dough into
6 by 12-inch rectangle and cut it into eight 3-inch biscuits with a sharp,
floured round cutter. Transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet. Paint the
top(s) with the buttermilk and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 10 to 15
minutes, until well risen and golden. Check the center of the large
shortcake with a toothpick to make sure it is baked through: If the pick
emerges with the dough still clinging to it, lower temperature to 350
degrees and bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Slice
shortcakes in half horizontally. Spoon berries on bottom half of biscuits.
Add a scoop of ice cream or frozen mousse on the berries before covering
with biscuit top.
Strawberry version:
Place the berries in a colander and quickly rinse them under running cold
water. Pour them on a pan or tray lined with several thicknesses of paper
towel to drain for 5 minutes. Hull the strawberries with the point of a
stainless steel paring knife, then slice them into a bowl. Sprinkle with
the sugar and lemon juice, then set aside, covered, at room temperature for
an hour or two.
Whip the cream (add a couple of tablespoons of sugar, if you like) until it
holds a soft peak, cover and refrigerate.
Serve with Strawberry frozen mousse in the center topped with fresh
berries.
TIPS:
1. When molding a frozen souffle, place the container the mixture is going
into, in the freezer for 1 hour prior to filling. This will allow the
mixture to chill quickly and help to prevent separation.
2. Be careful when measuring the sugar and any alcohol called for in a
frozen souffle because these two ingredients can inhibit freezing. Either
too much or too little can result in the souffle being too icy or too
slushy
Yields
1 servings