I had my first Strawberry Shortcake of the season this weekend. It all started when my daughter, Robin, threw together a quick, but tasty dinner for overnight guests. She was making a couple of my favorites: crab cakes with roasted asparagus.
“What can I bring?” I texted. “Dessert?” she wrote back. I know she’s not into dessert making, preferring rather to make entrees, vegetable and salad dishes. So I agreed to bring dessert for seven.
Preparing berries for Strawberry Shortcake. I first made this recipe from Woman’s Home Companion cookbook that I got as a wedding gift in the fifties. It’s the one I’ve used ever since.
I peered into my under-stocked refrig. Hmm. . . what could I make from the items I had on hand. Strawberries have been looking so good recently and I had a tray. That’s when the Strawberry Shortcake came to mind. The base is simple to make ahead and so is the strawberry-sugar concoction. All I’d have to do was run into Straub’s for some cream on my way to dinner. I could put the whole thing together at Robin’s lickity-split.
It only takes beating the cream a few seconds too long for it to become butter. You have to stop when a peak forms as you lift the beater.
As it turned out I got lots of helping hands. One guest cut and sugared the berries. Robin’s husband, JC, whipped the cream. Robin helped slake the layers with cream and put the berries in place. A guest with a sharp knife and wit sliced and served the cake that had a tendency to topple.
Strawberry Shortcake ready to serve
With the addition of a few blueberries, this Strawberry Shortcake would make a great dessert for the Fourth of July or any summer cookout.
