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| What You Need: |
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4 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
12 tablespoons butter (1˝ quarter-pound sticks) chilled and cut into bits
1˝ cups heavy cream
6 teaspoons melted and cooled butter
2 pints of fresh, ripe strawberries
1˝ teaspoons sugar
1 pint heavy cream for topping
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, and, with your fingertips, rub the dry ingredients and butter together until most of the lumps disappear and the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour in the heavy cream and, with your hands or a large spoon, mix thoroughly until a soft dough is formed.
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2. Gather it into a compact ball and transfer it to a lightly floured board. Knead the dough for about a minute by folding it end to end and pressing it down and pushing it forward several times with the heel of your hand. Then roll the dough out into a circle about 1 inch thick.
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3. With a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out 6 circles. Cut the remaining dough into six 2˝-inch circles. (If there isn't enough dough, gather the scraps together, knead briefly and roll out again.) Arrange the 3-inch circles on a lightly buttered cookie sheet. Brush each with a teaspoon of melted butter, then top with the smaller circle.
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4. Bake in the middle of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until firm to the touch and golden brown. Meanwhile, chop half the strawberries coarsely, reserving the most attractive ones for the top.
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5. Separate the shortcakes. Spread a layer of chopped strawberries on the bottom circles, sprinkle with sugar and gently place the smaller circles on top. Garnish with the whole strawberries. Strawberry shortcake is traditionally served with heavy cream.
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| To make 6 small shortcakes |
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