All About Strawberry Shortcakes

Strawberry shortcake may be a 200 year-old American invention. With the advent of chemical leavenings in the early 1800's, biscuits became popular. Since strawberries have always been readily available, it is likely that biscuits and strawberries have been together for quite some time. Before the middle of that century, strawberry shortcake recipes were showing up in the recipe books.

Today strawberry shortcakes are made from every recipe from biscuits to white cake and even angel food cakes but the original recipes always called for biscuits. Usually these biscuits are made richer with dairy products and sugar. This is an original biscuit-like shortcake. It is rich and tender and flaky and very, very good.

What follows are a strawberry shortcake recipe, a blueberry cream cheese shortcake recipe, and a chocolate caramel raspberry shortcake recipe.

Three Ways to Make Shortcakes

1. Make them as drop biscuits. The dough must be moist enough to drop from a spoon and pat into a flat disc. Add more milk as needed to get the desired consistency.
2. Make them as cut-out biscuits. The dough must be slightly firm to cut into shapes on the counter. Sprinkle a little flour on the counter or add flour to the dough if needed. Don't add so much flour that the dough is firm like sugar cookie dough. Pat the soft dough out on the counter and cut into three?inch discs. If the dough is wet and the shape is a little ragged, it's perfect.
3. Make one large shortcake. Spread the dough into an eight-inch cake pan or nine-inch pie pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Strawberry Hints

Always use fresh, succulent, ripe strawberries. Choose plump looking strawberries with green caps and avoid those that look bruised or mushy. Do not wash them or remove the caps until they are ready to use. Strawberries should be used promptly; they will not stay fresh long.

Original Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (or more--see above)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold butter cut into chunks
1 large egg
3/4 cup cream (or more--see above)

1 tablespoon melted butter or cream for brushing
2 tablespoons large crystal sugar such as turbinado sugar

2 pints ripe strawberries
1/4 cup sugar

1 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-4 tablespoons sugar

Directions

For the shortcake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
3. Whisk the egg into the cream. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the cream mixture into the well. Mix with a fork until the ingredients just stick together. Drop into biscuits on a greased cookie sheet and then pat with the back of a spoon to make to about 3/4-inch thick. To make cut-out biscuits, pat the dough into a sheet on a floured countertop and cut into three inch shapes with either a knife or a cookie cutter.
4. Brush the tops with the melted butter or cream. Sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake for about fifteen minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack. Serve while still fresh and warm.

Note: For the best results, always serve shortcake fresh. The dough can sit in the refrigerator for up to two hours while waiting to bake.

For the strawberries:

Wash and slice the strawberries. Sprinkle the strawberries with sugar and toss to coat.

For the whipped cream:

Combine the whipped cream, two tablespoons sugar, and the vanilla in a chilled bowl. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form. Sweeten with the additional sugar if desired.

To serve:

Split the warm biscuits open. Fill with berries and whipped cream. Top with additional whipped cream and berries.

Chocolate Caramel Raspberry Shortcake Recipe

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (or more--see above)
1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold butter cut into chunks
1 large egg
3/4 cup cream (or more--see above)

1 tablespoon melted butter for brushing
2 tablespoons large crystal sugar such as turbinado sugar

1 1/2 pints ripe raspberries

1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-4 tablespoons sugar

Chocolate syrup
Caramel syrup

Directions

For the shortcake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

1. Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
3. Whisk the egg into the cream. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the cream mixture into the well. Mix with a fork until the ingredients just stick together. Drop into dough on a greased cookie sheet and then pat with the back of a spoon to make to about 3/4-inch thick. To make cut-out biscuits, pat the dough into a sheet on a floured countertop and cut into three inch shapes with either a knife or a cookie cutter.
4. Brush the tops with the melted butter. Sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake for about fifteen minutes or until done. Remove to a wire rack. Serve while still fresh and warm.

Note: For the best results, always serve shortcake fresh. The dough can sit in the refrigerator for up to two hours while waiting to bake.

For the raspberries:

Wash the raspberries. Garnish the dessert with the raspberries.

For the whipped cream:

Combine the whipped cream, two tablespoons sugar, and the vanilla in a chilled bowl. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form. Sweeten with the additional sugar if desired.

To serve:

Split the warm biscuits open. Fill with berries and whipped cream. Top with additional whipped cream and berries. Drizzle with chocolate and caramel syrup.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Shortcake Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (or more--see above)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold butter cut into chunks
1 large egg
3/4 cup cream (or more--see above)

1 tablespoon melted butter or cream for brushing
1 1/2 pints ripe blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup heavy cream
1 eight-ounce package cream cheese
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

For the shortcake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
3. Whisk the egg into the cream. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the cream mixture into the well. Mix with a fork until the ingredients just stick together. Drop into biscuits on a greased cookie sheet and then pat with the back of a spoon make to about 3/4-inch thick. To make cut-out biscuits, pat the dough into a sheet on a floured countertop and cut into three inch shapes with either a knife or a cookie cutter.
4. Brush the tops with the melted butter or cream. Sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake for about fifteen minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack. Serve while still fresh and warm.

Note: For the best results, always serve shortcake fresh. The dough can sit in the refrigerator for up to two hours while waiting to bake.

For the blueberries:

Wash the blueberries. In a small bowl, smash the berries, add the sugar, and stir. Cover the bowl and heat it in the microwave until the berries are hot and starting to bubble.

For the whipped cream:

Pour the whipped cream into a chilled bowl. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest and beat until combined and fluffy.

To serve:

Split the warm biscuits open. Fill with whipped filling. Top with additional whipped filling and berries.

See photos and the printable version of All About Shortcakes.

For more recipes like this visit The Prepared Pantry's Recipe Box.

© 2005 The Prepared Pantry

---

Straight Talk from a Comfort Foodie - The Gravy Train

In all fairness to my mother and the great homemaker... Read More

Fire Cracker Italian Sausage Pasta

You will find that this recipe is very easy to... Read More

Rib-Eye Steak with Mushrooms and Bleu Cheese

This is a mouth watering steak. Every time I serve... Read More

Cucumber & Pork Soup

Due to the fact that cucumber is rich in all... Read More

Chinese Dumplings on Chinese New Year

One of my fondest childhood memories is the celebrations around... Read More

Toasted Spiced Walnuts

You can trust me that I make sure to take... Read More

Planning Help: Meal One

It's nice when I find a meal where the foods... Read More

My Grandmothers Heritage Recipe

The whole thing started when my sister-in-law called to say... Read More

Easy Gourmet Recipes You and I can do!

So, you don't think you can find easy gourmet recipes?... Read More

Grandmas Peach Canning Recipe

Grandma loved to bake peach pies or top pancakes with... Read More

Cookbook Publishing - The Basic Ingredients and the Secrets to Success

You are about to embark on the most exciting enterprise... Read More

Gyokuro Cheesecake Recipe

This Gyokuro cheesecake makes an elegant dessert. Perfect for any... Read More

Braised Fish in Soy Sauce (Hong Shao Yu)

Braised fish in soy sauce is the basic craft of... Read More

Easy to Make Guacamole Dip

You can make guacamole that people will rave about! It's... Read More

Cinco de Mayo Recipe

My ex reminded me last week that the holiday that... Read More

Mouth Watering Memphis Style Pork Ribs

The Memphis Style pork rib is one of the most... Read More

Stuffed Shrimp Recipes

Stuffed shrimp recipes will help you celebrate any special occasion... Read More

Ground Turkey Recipes

Our family has recently made the switch from ground beef... Read More

The Taffy Pull (A Story and a Recipe)

One year when I was growing up on our Wisconsin... Read More

A Pease Journey

Remnants of dried peas were found in Egyptian tombs. Hot... Read More

Straight Talk from a Comfort Foodie - Fast Food

My parents lived for convenience when it came to feeding... Read More

Mexican Recipes ? World Class Dishes In Your Kitchen!

Here are two **Must Try** Mexican recipes! They are HOT,... Read More

How to Make Beer

Making beer is easy, inexpensive, and most of all, fun.... Read More

My Mothers Recipe Box

Remember the days when cookbooks weren't so readily available, and... Read More

Hot Barbeque Recipes

Anyone can create delicious homemade hot barbeque recipes once they... Read More

Swiss Chard - What Do I Do With That?

Originally, all foods were "organic" ? grown and prepared without... Read More

Nutritious Chocolate Recipes

Are you eating enough fruit lately? How about chocolate? Well,... Read More

Simply Salads

"It is just sensible."exclaimed my friend. She was referring to... Read More

Best Recipes: Chicken with Apples

Ingredients1½ cups quick-cooking rice 2 large onions, thinly sliced 250g... Read More

Chicken Recipes That Everyone Enjoys!

Chicken recipes are a stable in many people's diets. Many... Read More

Spanish Recipes - Tempting Tapas Dishes

Spain is famous for its tapas and, whichever Spanish bar... Read More

Ice Cream In A Baggie

Yes, it sounds dangerous and the potential for messes seems... Read More

Weight Loss Recipe: Oven Fried Chicken

Enjoy the sensation of fried chicken without the extra calories... Read More