Shortcake

Shortcake is a sponge cake or sweet biscuit made with flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and milk, heavy cream or eggs. It is served cut and filled with fruit and topped with whipped cream.

Fast Facts

1. Variants: Strawberries shortcake, pineapple shortcake, blueberry shortcake
2. Accompaniments: Whipped cream, freshfruit
3. Strawberry shortcake is the most popular
4. Known as a scone in England

How to Make Strawberry Shortcake

• Making the shortcake:

1. Mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder.
2. Stir in 1 cup whipped heavy cream to make a dough.
3. Knead the dough on a floured surface until the dough is uniform.
4. Shape the dough into a log, 4 inches in diameter and slice it into circles, 1 inch thick.
5. Put into a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes or until golden.
6. Allow to cool on a cooling rack

• Making the filling:

1. Wash 1 cup strawberries and remove the green stems. Slice the strawberries thinly and add 1/4 cup sugar and set aside for 15 minutes to allow the sugar to draw out strawberries' juice.
2. Chill a metal bowl and the beaters of the mixer for 5 minutes in the freezer. Whip 1 cup of heavy cream with the chilled bowl and beaters and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons sugar. Whip for 30 seconds to incorporate the ingredients.
3. Cut the shortcake in half horizontally and fill with the strawberries and strawberry juice. Top with the whipped cream, garnish with mint leaves and additional sliced strawberries and serve.

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