Four Berry Shortcakes With Crème Fraîche Sorbet Recipes

PERFECT BERRY SHORTCAKES

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.

FOUR-BERRY SHORTCAKES WITH CRèME FRAîCHE SORBET

Steps:

• Stir 1 1/2 cups water and sugar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil syrup until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 2 minutes. Transfer syrup to bowl; chill until cold, at least 1 hour. Whisk crème fraîche, vanilla and lemon juice into syrup. Transfer to ice cream maker. Process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to container. Cover; freeze up to 1 week.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk milk and egg in small bowl to blend. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients, stirring until dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently until dough is smooth, about 5 turns. Pat out dough to 6x4-inch rectangle. Cut into 8 equal pieces; shape each into 2 1/2-inch round about 3/4 inch thick.
• Arrange rounds on prepared sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake shortcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean and bottoms are brown, about 13 minutes. Cool on racks until lukewarm, about 30 minutes. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Wrap in foil and rewarm 10 minutes at 350°F before serving, if desired.)
• Combine all ingredients in large bowl; toss to blend. Transfer 1 cup berry mixture to shallow bowl; mash to coarse puree with back of fork. Return puree to berry mixture. Let stand until juices form, stirring occasionally, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
• Cut shortcakes in half horizontally. Place bottom halves, cut side up, in 8 dessert bowls. Top each with scoop of sorbet, berry mixture and shortcake top.
• Crème fraîche is available at some supermarkets. If unavailable, heat 1 cup whipping cream to lukewarm (85°F). Remove from heat and mix in 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Cover and let stand until slightly thickened, 24 to 48 hours, depending on temperature of room. Chill until ready to use.

OLD-FASHIONED BERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour and cornstarch; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat on high speed until mixture is thick and holds a ribbonlike trail on the surface when you raise the whisk, about 5 minutes.
• Place reserved flour mixture on a large piece of parchment paper. Holding paper like a funnel, add flour mixture to egg mixture. With machine running on low speed, mix until just combined. In a steady stream, immediately add oil; mix until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer; detach the whisk. Using the whisk, fold mixture several times.
• Divide batter between pans. Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through baking time, until the centers spring back when you touch them with your finger, about 30 minutes.
• Immediately turn cakes out onto a wire rack; let stand until completely cool.
• Combine cream, confectioners' sugar, and remaining teaspoon vanilla extract in clean mixer bowl. Scrape in vanilla seeds; reserve pod for another use. Starting on low speed and increasing to medium high, whip until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
• Using a serrated knife, slice cakes in half; place one layer on a serving plate. Spread one-fourth of whipped cream over the layer; arrange strawberries on top. Repeat process with remaining layers, cream, and berries. Refrigerate until serving; garnish with mint.

VERY BERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Put the strawberries in the colander. Rinse with cool water. Gently pat strawberries dry with the paper towels.
• Remove the stems from strawberries. Cut strawberries into bite-size pieces on the cutting board, using the knife. Put strawberries in a medium bowl.
• Add the 1/2 cup sugar to strawberries. Gently stir with the wooden spoon. Cover bowl with the plastic wrap, and put in refrigerator.
• Heat the oven to 425°. Make the shortcakes by putting the 2 1/3 cups baking mix, half-and-half, 3 tablespoons sugar and margarine in the large bowl. Stir with wooden spoon to make a soft dough.
• Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons baking mix over a clean surface (such as a kitchen counter or breadboard). Put dough on surface. Roll ball of dough around 3 or 4 times. Curve your fingers around and fold dough toward you, then push it away with the heels of your hands, using a quick rocking motion. Repeat 10 times.
• Roll the dough with the rolling pin or pat the dough with your hands until 1/2 inch thick. Use the ruler to measure, if you like. Dip the cookie cutter into a small amount of baking mix, then cut the dough with the cookie cutter. Carefully put dough on the cookie sheet (you do not need to grease the cookie sheet).
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until shortcakes are golden brown. Use the pot holders to take cookie sheet out of oven. Take shortcakes off cookie sheet, using the pancake turner. Cool shortcakes on the wire cooling rack before topping them.
• Cut the shortcakes in half to make a top and a bottom. Put bottoms of shortcakes on the dessert plates. Spoon some of the strawberries over the shortcake bottoms. Cover with shortcake tops. Top with the rest of the strawberries and the whipped topping.