Strawberry Shortcake Americana

Dame Nancy Scanlon

Strawberry Shortcake is a summer dessert using strawberries right from the garden and field. It’s a hardy berry but requires water for that plump, juicy result. Strawberry Shortcake is served with fresh strawberries as a garnish but can use frozen berries for the sauce. Personally I want fresh summer strawberries for the classic flavor of this dessert. The fresher the berries the better!

This recipe is in two parts…. the Shortcake Biscuit and the Strawberry Sauce, whipped Cream and assembly instructions. American Shortcakes were the basic breads of many kitchens and can be made with or without sugar. This recipe includes sugar as Strawberry Shortcake is a classically sweet dessert using the freshest possible strawberries.

American Shortcake Recipe

Yields 6 good sized biscuits

Ingredients
200g plain flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
½ tsp salt
60g butter (or vegetable shortening)
180 ml milk (or single cream)
1 tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 230 degrees C (210 degrees C fan / Gas Mark 8)

Method

1. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder

2. Add in cold butter or shortening, cutting it into the dry mixture in small pieces.

3. Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the milk or cream.

4. Stir the dough until milk is absorbed.

5. Drop dough from a large spoon onto an ungreased baking pan. Brush dough biscuits with melted butter.

6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until light brown

7. Cool on cake rack.

Strawberry Sauce Mix and Whipped Cream

Ingredients

2 (or more) whole strawberries per shortcake, for garnish
900 g strawberries, hulled and sliced (approx. 4 cups)
100g caster sugar
240 ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks

Method

1. Slice the strawberries in halves and quarters and place in a large bowl.

2. Pour the sugar over the strawberries.

3. Using a potato masher, press the strawberries and sugar together until the the berries have broken apart and the juice is released. Keep at room temperature for the flavour to be at its best.

4. Pour the cream into a freezing cold stainless steel bowl and beat the cream until it is thick and forms soft

5. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To Serve

1. On small plates for each shortcake dessert, set the bottom half of a shortcake.

2. Place a large spoonful of crushed strawberries on each half. Place the top half of each shortcake on top of the crushed strawberries. Spoon a small amount of crushed strawberries on top of the shortcake.

3. Spoon whipped cream generously over the shortcake.

4. Top each shortcake with a whole strawberry. Garnish the plate with one or two more whole strawberries. Serve immediately.