Summer Berry Recipes
(Page 3 of 5)
July/August 1999
By Susan Belsinger
Berry Recipes
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OLD-FASHIONED SHORTCAKE WITH MIXED BERRIES
The most common version of this dish is the traditional strawberry shortcake. It also is delicious made with any single type of berry, providing it is very ripe. A medley of berries is also elegant and provides you with a variety of tastes and textures. The secret ingredient here is grenadine; it’s a great syrup for marinating berries, and you don’t have to add sugar and lemon juice. Sometimes I add 1 to 2 tablespoons of minced lemon balm to the shortcake dough for a nice hint of citrus flavor.
2 pints berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, or boysenberries, or a combination thereof)
2 to 3 tablespoons grenadine syrup
2 cups unbleached white flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, scant
4 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted Whipping cream or vanilla ice cream Vanilla
Preheat oven to 425°F and lightly butter a baking sheet.
Rinse and drain berries. Remove hulls from strawberries, and halve them lengthwise if large. Remove stems and cores from other berries, if necessary. Toss berries in a bowl with the grenadine; it should just coat the fruit. As berries marinate, they will create a sweet juice.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl or food processor. Cut butter into the mixture until it simulates coarse meal. Add milk to dry ingredients, and mix until just blended. Do not overmix.
Turn dough onto a floured surface, and knead eight or ten times. Roll or pat dough to about 3/4 inch thick. With a 3-inch cutter, cut out rounds, using all the dough.
Place rounds of dough on the baking sheet, brush tops with melted butter, and sprinkle them with the reserved tablespoon of sugar.
Bake cakes in the center of the oven for about 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool shortcakes for at least 5 minutes before splitting them open; they are best served warm, but room temperature is fine.
Whip cream with just a little vanilla and a spoonful of sugar until it is thick and creamy, but not stiff. I prefer it soft and a bit runny for shortcakes. Or use vanilla ice cream instead. To assemble, split shortcakes in half. Place a spoonful or two of the berries on the bottom half with a bit of the juice. Add a dollop of whipped cream or a spoonful of ice cream on top half. Repeat with berries and cream, and garnish with a berry or two. Serve immediately.
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