This recipe is from the Post Dispatch's food section, many years ago (probably 1960s or 70s). Grandma & Grandpa used to make this, and I remember them talking about getting the recipe from the P-D. The shortcake from this recipe is similar to a scone or a sweetened biscuit, and is nothing like a sponge cake.
For the berries - you want 2 pints or so of ripe strawberries, hulled (stem & leaves removed), sliced, and sugared (probably 1/4 to 1/3 cup for this amount of berries). If the berries are not super-ripe, after they are sliced and sugared, take the back of a large spoon and half-way crush some of them, so that the berries start to get juicy.
Scroll to the bottom for photos of the process.
Shortcake
Ingredients:
2 cups flour (unbleached white flour is what we use)
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
generous pinch of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
1/3 cup milk
1 well-beaten egg
Whipped cream (optional)
Butter a cookie sheet, set it aside, and pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter. (Or a large fork or 2 knives might work.) The mixture should look pretty fine, with only very small lumps.
Beat the egg with the milk, then quickly and gently mix the egg/milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Don't overmix, knead or beat the mixture - you are not making yeast bread.
Shape 5 or 6 cakes out of the dough, using your hands, and place them on the buttered cookie sheet. They should be round and somewhat flat. Bake about 12-15 minutes, keeping an eye on them because this uses a very hot oven.
Split and butter the shortcakes while hot, cover with the partially crushed, well-sweetened berries. Top with whipped cream if desired. (Or butter the hot shortcake before topping with strawberries.)
You can substitute ripe, sliced peaches for the strawberries.
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