Berry Shortcake

Everyone agrees that the best berries come from a farmers’ market or, better yet, a pick-your-own farm. But for berry shortcake, the debate still rages from year to year: what vehicle, what kind of cake, should your berries have? I grew up with slices of Sara Lee Pound Cake as a base. I always liked to peel the brown crust that came off in one piece and eat it first. But now Sara Lee pound cake seems too sweet and, I suspect, the ones available now were baked in April and have been quietly soaking in their own preservatives in refrigerated stoarge.

Some savvy grocery stores display angel food cakes next the strawberries in the produce aisle. And while angel food is a (comparatively) low-fat alternative, that cake lacks the heft—and the indolence— to soak up the juices of over-ripe berries.

My ideal shortcake nowadays is a low-key, slightly sweetened biscuit; the buttery quality of the pastry lets the tang of the berries sing through, and sweet biscuits can absorb the juice without getting soggy.

The July-August 2008 edition of Cook’s Magazine featured a recipe for peach shortcake which can be readily adapted to other summer fruits. I made a batch of strawberry shortcakes for a recent family party. They went over so well that I plan to make another batch with a combination of late-summer fruits like blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.

For the fruit—

2 pound of berries (or other in-season fresh fruit)
3 tablespoons sugar

Wash and pat the fruit dry. Cut into bite sized positions, sprinkle with sugar and set aside. If you are planning to serve the dessert later in the day, store the fruit in the refrigerator. But be sure to take it out an hour or so before serving so that the fruit can taste its best.

For the shortcakes—

2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoons baking powered
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold buttermilk
1 egg
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Next, stir in the melted butter; some clumps will form as the butter hits the cold buttermilk, but, incredibly, that’s desired to create a richer shortcake.

Pour the buttery liquid into the dry ingredients and quickly pull the dough together with a spatula. Stir for only 30 seconds or so.

Line a cookie sheet with a length of parchment paper. Butter a 1/3 cup measure. Use the cup to scoop a portion of dough and turn it onto the cookie sheet to form a shortcake. You might have to re-butter the measuring cup after a time or two. Space the shortcakes two inches apart. If you are judicious with your portions, you should get about six or seven shortcakes. Sprinkle each with sugar and bake for 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Let the shortcakes cool before serving. In the meantime, beat up some fresh cream:

For the cream—

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour cream into medium ceramic bowl. Add a scant tablespoon of sugar and the vanilla. Beat with a mixer or, for the brave and those trying to work off some pre-dessert calories, beat by hand with a wire whisk until soft peaks are formed. Keep the cream refrigerated until it is time to build the shortcakes.

To serve—

To build a shortcake, slice one in two with a sharp knife. Cover the bottom half with a more-than-generous spoonful of berries. Add the top, a dollop of cream and a berry for garnish.