Strawberry Shortcake
Make this simpl, but refreshing summer dessert in a cake form or as individual shortcake biscuits.
Ingredients
- 2 qts. fresh strawberries
- Sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 to 4 Tbs. sugar
- 6 to 8 Tbs. shortening
- 2/3 cup milk approximately
Instructions
- Wash, cap, and slice strawberries, preserving enough whole berries for top of cake. Sprinkle berries with sugar to taste and set aside.
- Stir flour; measure. Add baking powder, salt and sugar. Sift again.
- Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives, blending till mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
- Stir with fork adding enough milk to make soft dough or until mixture leaves sides of bowl.
- Knead lightly for ½ minute on floured board. Divide into two portions. Roll out each about ¼ inch thick. Fit one into an 8” or 9” cake pan and butter the top liberally. Add the second layer. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Let layers cool before splitting apart. Place one on cake plate and top with whipped cream. Use 1 pint of heavy cream that has been whipped to form peaks. Sweeten the cream slightly with sugar before peaks are achieved.
- Cover the first layer with sliced and sugared strawberries. Place second layer on top and add remaining whipped cream, put the bottom uncut portion of the berry upward to design a pattern.
- Note: For variation, add ½ tsp grated lemon rind or 1 tsp. grated orange rind to dry ingredients. Or substitute buttermilk for milk.
- For Individual Shortcake Biscuits: Roll out dough to 1/2" thickness. Using a 2" cutter or a drinking glass rim to cut rounds from dough. Use straight up and down motion; don't twist the cutter, it impedes the rise and flakiness of the biscuit. Arrange 2" apart on baking sheet. Roll together scraps and make more biscuits. Bake 16-18 minutes or until tall and golden.