Strawberries, cake, and cream is a classic combination
that never fails
to delight.
Strawberry Shortcake is casual food that we love to eat at
summer backyard barbecues and is made with a scone or biscuit that is cut in half and filled with lightly sweetened strawberries and softly
whipped cream.
The perfect scone has a crisp exterior with an interior that is light and
fluffy with a rich buttery flavor. A few things to keep in mind when
making scones; always have the butter cold, add the liquid to the dry
ingredients all at once, and mix everything together quickly and lightly.
Of course, having the scones come out of the oven shortly before
assembling the Shortcake would be ideal, but not very practical for most
cooks. So, my advise is to make the scones the day they are going to be
served and if you want warm scones, simply reheat.
Next, the strawberries. Always
buy strawberries when they are in season. Look for ones that are
bright red, plump, and firm, with no white or green "shoulders" at the stem end.
The green leaf-like cap or hull should still be attached and it should not
be brown or wilted. There
should be
no soft spots, bruising or mildew. Always check the
underside of the container to make sure there are no squashed berries or juice
(sign of overripe berries). If not using immediately store in a single
layer on a paper towel-lined tray in the refrigerator for a couple of
days. About an hour before assembling the shortcakes, remove the stems
from the berries and lightly wash them (do not soak). Cut or slice the
berries into bite size pieces and place about one third of the
strawberries in a large bowl and crush them with a potato masher or fork.
Add the remaining sliced strawberries, along with the sugar. Set aside to
macerate at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes as this will
soften the berries and allow them to release some of their juices.
And finally, the
Cream. Cream is the fat that
rises to the top of whole milk. It has a smooth, satiny texture and is
labeled according to its butterfat content (heavy to light). When making
Shortcake use 'Heavy' Cream or Heavy 'Whipping' Cream which means it has a
36 - 40% butterfat that will double in volume when whipped and hold its
form. Because of its superior flavor, I recommend using an organic brand
of heavy whipping cream. My directions for whipping the cream are slightly
different from most recipes. You need to first mix together and chill the whipping cream,
vanilla extract, and sugar before whipping. This method will let you
store the whipped cream in the refrigerator for several hours without it
deflating.
Scones:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large
bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut
the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry
blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Whisk
together the egg, cream and vanilla extract and add to the flour mixture,
mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface and
knead
dough gently four or five times and then pat or roll the dough into a circle that is
about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. With a 3
inch (7 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place the scones on the
baking sheet. Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg mixed with 1
tablespoon cream and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture.
Bake
for about 15 - 20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a
scone comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack.
Filling: Wash and
slice the strawberries. Place about one third of the strawberries in a
large bowl and crush them with a potato masher or fork. Add the remaining sliced
strawberries, along with the sugar.
(The amount of sugar used will depend on how sweet the berries are.) Set
aside to macerate at room temperature for
about 30 to 60 minutes.
For whipped cream:In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream,
vanilla extract, and sugar and
stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at
least 30 minutes. When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.
The whipped cream will hold for several hours in the refrigerator.
To serve: Cut the
scones in half and place the bottom
half of the scone (soft side up) on a dessert plate. Top with some of the
strawberries. Place the top half of the scone on the strawberries. Top with whipped cream
and a few more strawberries. If there is any juice from the
strawberries, drizzle a little over the top of the scone. Serve
immediately.
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