Strawberry Shortcake
(A 'shortcake' is
not a short cake- it is a shortbread made sweet. "Short" refers to
shortening, an ingredient sponge cakes shouldn't have. Strawberries on sponge
or pound cake is a different dessert, which you are welcome to, but here's how
to make the real thing)
Slice up:
2 quarts of strawberries
Stir to cover with:
1 c sugar
Let this sauce sit
in the fridge
Preheat oven to
425f.
In the cuisinart,
spin:
1 1/2 c. soft wheat flour1/3 c sugar2 1/2 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp salt
Cube into flour
mixture quickly to keep cold, then process to a sandy texture with butter lumps
no bigger than rice grains:
6 Tbsp butter
Pulse just 1-3
times after adding:
1/2 cup buttermilk
Dump wet+sandy
mixture out on generously floured board, and bring together while kneading to a
very soft dough, only 5-6 gentle turns after dough has come together. Shape
dough as desired, using a light hand. Square and slice into squares or
triangles, or cut rounds out with biscuit cutter, dipping in flour between.
Place finished shortcakes on slightly greased pan 2 inches apart, and bake for
13-15 minutes until golden on top. Cool or don't. Once you plate the shortcake
and drizzle with 1/4 c strawberries-and-juice sauce, and top with (I won't look
how much):
Whipped cream
And eat it right
away! Like snow in spring, this ephemeral dessert melts quickly.
