| Seasonal
Fruit Shortcake
This recipe is perfect for any ripe
fruit in season. Strawberries in May and June; Marionberries,
blueberries, and raspberries in July; peaches and apricots
in August; and the luscious golden raspberries that
come in the late summer.
They key to tender shortcakes is handling
the dough as little and as gently as possible. If it
is a hot day or your kitchen is unusually warm, place
your mixing bowl and ingredients in the refrigerator
or freezer to chill at least 20 minutes. For a flaky
shortcake, the ingredients must be cold to start, and
stay cold.
I like to use an electric stand mixer
with the paddle attachment to mix my dough, but a handheld
pastry blender works just as well.
Yields six individual shortcakes.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if you are using salted butter)
3 Tablespoons sugar
4 oz butter, cold, cut into small cubes (about 1")
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
3 cups seasonal fresh fruit or berries
Approximately 1/4 cup sugar, depending on
the sweetness of the fruit
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Make the shortcakes:
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in
the bowl of an electric stand mixer, or a bowl with
high sides. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients
by adding the cubes all at once and mixing on low speed
with the paddle attachment for 1-2 minutes. The butter
pieces should be small, and the mixture will resemble
coarse meal.
While the mixer is running, add the whipping cream in
one quick addition. Mix just until the flour is moistened
and the dough begins to come together in large clumps;
this will only take a few rotations of the paddle. If
you are mixing the dough by hand, make a well and pour
the liquid in the middle. Use a fork to combine.
Turn the dough out into a lightly floured
surface and knead it several times until it is a cohesive
mass. Roll or pat the dough into a rectangle 1"
thick and about 6" x 9". Cut 6 - 3"x
3" squares using a cutter dipped in flour or a
sharp knife. Use different-shaped cookie cutters for
a unique presentation, or make one big shortcake and
decorate with candles for a birthday shortcake. Place
the shortcakes on a cookie sheet or half-size pan lined
with parchment paper. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
Set a rack in the middle of the oven
and preheat to 350 degrees. If you are using a convection
oven, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees.
Gently brush any excess flour from
the shortcakes. For crisp tops, brush them lightly with
cream or melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake
the shortcakes for 30-35 minutes or until they are golden
brown on top and toasty brown on the bottom. Cool.
Prepare the fruit:
Slice the fruit (if you are using small berries, mash
them lightly with a fork to release the juices), sprinkle
with the sugar and lemon juice, and allow to sit for
at least one hour at room temperature and up to 6 hours
in the refrigerator. Try adding a splash of liqueur
to complement the fruit: Grand Marnier for strawberries,
framboise or cassis for raspberries and blackberries,
bourbon for peaches.
Assemble the shortcake:
I like to whip the cream right before assembling the
shortcakes. Put one cup of cream in a bowl in the refrigerator
with a whisk. When you're ready for dessert, have one
of your guests whip it by hand. A good whisk makes the
job an easy one and I prefer the loose, rich texture
of hand-whipped cream. Remember to add sugar and vanilla
after the cream has been whipped.
Use a serrated knife or a fork to split
the shortcakes open. Spoon about 1/4 c fruit and some
of the juices on the bottom half of the shortcake. Put
a nice dollop of whipped cream on the fruit and cover
it with the top of the shortcake. Repeat with more fruit
and whipped cream.
Piper Davis, Grand Central Baking
with Ellen Jackson
|
JUNE
- JULY 2006
