PERFECT BERRY SHORTCAKES

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Perfect Berry Shortcakes image

You don't need a food processor, pastry cutter, rolling pin or cookie cutter to make these sweet biscuits. This shortcake recipe I've developed yields a simple, foolproof biscuit that's crisp yet delicate.

Provided by USA WEEKEND columnist Pam Anderson

Categories     Desserts     Cakes     Shortcake Recipes

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 cups all-purpose bleached flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
5 tablespoons sugar, divided
½ cup butter, frozen
1 egg, beaten
1 egg white
½ cup cold half-and-half
1 (16 ounce) package unsweetened frozen raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or strawberries, thawed and crushed
12 ounces fresh raspberries, blackberries or blueberries (rinsed and patted dry), or strawberries (hulled and sliced)
7 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 cup chilled heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 425 degrees. Mix flour, salt, baking powder and 3 Tbs. sugar in a medium bowl. Grate 2 Tbs. of the butter on the coarse holes of a box grater into dry ingredients; toss to coat. Repeat grating and tossing with remaining butter. Combine egg and half-and-half; pour into flour mixture. Toss with a fork to form large clumps. Lightly press clumps into a ball; add a teaspoon more half-and-half to the bowl if dough won't come together.
  • Turn dough onto work surface; press into an 8-by-4- to 5-inch rectangle. Cut into 6 squares, placing them 1 inch apart on a small baking sheet. (Can be refrigerated up to 2 hours before baking.) Before baking, brush tops with optional egg white for a particularly attractive sheen. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbs. sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool until warm, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Mix thawed and fresh berries with sugar in a bowl; let stand until sugar dissolves. With a hand mixer, beat cream to soft peaks, gradually adding 1 Tb. sugar, then vanilla.
  • Split each cake crosswise; spoon a portion of berries over each cake bottom, then a dollop of whipped cream over berries. Cap with cake top and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 669.4 calories, Carbohydrate 85.6 g, Cholesterol 133.5 mg, Fat 34 g, Fiber 8.2 g, Protein 8.6 g, SaturatedFat 20.6 g, Sodium 592.4 mg, Sugar 44.3 g

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