Victoria's Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
Fresh strawberries….sweet and juicy, with a deep ruby red color are impossible for me to resist. When the prime season is here, I love to whip up an easy dessert. The shortcake batter comes together in minutes, and takes just a few more to bake. You can truly have this recipe ready to serve in 30-40 minutes. That’s another reason that makes it a wonderful summertime dessert. You know your calendar is packed full of fun with friends and family. So make life a little more care-free and enjoy this dessert at your next barbecue and bask in the accolades.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sift together:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, to 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, stirring to combine. Pour the cream mixture over the flour mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula, until just combined. Over mixing with give you a tough crumb.
Scoop the batter into an un-greased 8” square baking pan. Gently spread the batter into the corners of the pan. Again, take care not to overwork.
Melt 2 teaspoons butter, and drizzle over the top of the batter. Sprinkle with sanding (or turbinado) sugar for a beautiful finish on the crust. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
Once baked, remove from oven and pan, and allow to cool on a wire rack. Cut into 6-9 pieces, as desired.
While the batter is baking, Slice 1 quart fresh, clean strawberries into a bowl. Sprinkle strawberries with 2 Tablespoons of powdered sugar. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract or Amaretto liqueur. Stir the berries, and slightly mashed to release the juices (macerate.) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
In a clean, stainless steel mixing bowl, beat together, 1-1/2 cups well chilled heavy whipping cream, 2-3 Tablespoons of powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until soft, fluffy peaks form, about 2 minutes.
TO SERVE: Split each piece of shortcake in half, horizontally. Give a generous portion of macerated strawberries and juices over the bottom half. Top with a large dollop of whipped cream and then the top half of shortcake. Spoon a bit more berries on the top half to garnish.
