Wonton Plum Shortcakes Recipes

ROASTED PLUM SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• For the shortcake biscuits: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar and salt. Whisk to combine and evenly distribute the leavening. Add the shortening and butter and toss to coat the fat just a bit with the flour. Using your fingertips, gently work the fats into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with some pea-size chunks of fat.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg, and add this to the flour mixture. Stir together with a wooden spoon. Then, gently work through the mixture with your hands to separate any wet patches and bring the dough together.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, fold it over a few times and knead gently until it just holds together. Pat the dough into a rough 1/2-inch-tall rectangle. Cut out biscuits with a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Pat the scraps together and cut an additional biscuit. You should have 6 to 8 biscuits. Evenly space the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Set aside.
• For the roasted plums: Pour the butter into a shallow baking dish and tip from side to side to coat the bottom. Add the maple syrup and orange juice, swirling to "stir" the mixture. Line the baking dish with the plums, flesh-side down.
• Bake both the biscuits and plums for about 20 minutes. Remove the biscuits when golden brown. Continue to cook the plums until the juices have thickened, about another 15 minutes. Cool completely before assembling.
• For the whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until medium peaks form.
• To assemble: Split four of the biscuits horizontally in half; reserve the remaining biscuits for another use (see Cook's Note). Place the bottom of each biscuit on a serving plate. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream, followed by a few plum slices and their juices. Top with the biscuit tops.

CRISPY SHRIMP WONTONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Place 12 wonton wrappers side by side on sheet of waxed paper. Brush both sides of wrappers with 1 tablespoon oil. Pleat edges of wrappers; place in 12 ungreased mini muffin cups, pressing in bottom and up sides. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers, oil and additional 12 mini muffin cups.
• Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
• Stir cream cheese to soften. Spoon 1 teaspoon cream cheese into each cup. Top each with 3 to 5 shrimp.
• Bake 1 minute longer or until cream cheese is soft. Remove wontons from pan; place on serving platter. Top each with 1/2 teaspoon plum sauce. Sprinkle with chives.

OATMEAL SHORTCAKES WITH SPICED PLUMS

Steps:

• Make shortcakes:
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Using fingertips, rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk; stir until dough forms.
• Drop dough onto prepared baking sheet, forming six 2 1/2-inch-diameter biscuits and spacing 3 inches apart. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake until biscuits are golden and tester inserted into biscuit comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cool. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Make fruit:
• Combine plums, 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice, ginger and cinnamon in heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until plums release their juices but are still firm, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add butter. Stir until butter melts. Cool slightly.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream and powdered sugar in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Using serrated knife, slice off top 1/3 of biscuits. Transfer biscuit bottoms to plates. Spoon half of plum mixture over biscuits. Spoon whipped cream atop plum mixture. Spoon remaining plum mixture atop cream, dividing equally. Place biscuit tops over plum mixture. Serve immediately.

SUMMER FRUIT SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture; pour in the buttermilk and milk, and mix just until the dough gathers together. Do not overwork. Cover the bowl, and allow dough to rest 10 to 15 minutes. Roll or pat the dough into 6 rounds, each about 3 inches in diameter. Place on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Place on a rack and cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, combine the blueberries, apricots, and cherries in a bowl. Toss to blend and set aside.
• Beat the whipping cream in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Stir in 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Split the shortcakes in half and place the bottom halves on 6 serving plates. Spoon whipped cream over each half, top with fruit, and place a shortcake top on each. Dust tops with remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar.

SPICED PLUM SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add half and half; stir just until dough forms. Gather dough into ball with floured hands. Gently knead 8 times against side of bowl. Roll out dough on floured surface to 3/4-inch-thick round. Using 3-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out 5 biscuits; place on ungreased baking sheet. Gather dough and reroll as needed to make 1 more biscuit. Bake biscuits until pale golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. (Biscuits can be made 8 hours ahead; cool completely and store in airtight container at room temperature.)
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add plums and sugar. Cook until sugar dissolves and becomes syrupy and plums are just tender, stirring constantly, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon and ground ginger. Cool 5 minutes. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature; rewarm before serving.)
• Using electric mixer, beat cream in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Add 2 teaspoons powdered sugar and beat to firm peaks. Fold in crystallized ginger.
• Cut biscuits in half; place bottom halves on 6 dessert plates. Top with warm plums, then cream. Cover with biscuit tops. Sift powdered sugar over.

WARM PLUM SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats). In a large bowl combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the butter and using your fingers work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to the heavy cream, and set aside the pod. Add the heavy cream to the flour mixture, and stir to combine.
• On a lightly floured surface, pat out dough, 3/4-inch thick. Use a 2 1/2-inch cutter to cut into 12 rounds. Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1-inch between biscuits. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 25 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Can be made ahead and frozen, in a resealable plastic bag, for up to 1 month.
• In a medium skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and vanilla pod. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add plums and cook, stirring, until plums are slightly softened and heated through, about 4 minutes. Discard vanilla pod.
• Split cooled biscuits horizontally. Top with plums and whipped cream. Serve immediately.