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STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

I've long been fascinated by this American pudding, which isn't really a scone so much as a tender, buttery sponge with scone-like properties, split and crammed with strawberries.  There's so much dispute, as there always is with traditional recipes, over the right method to make them, serve them, eat them:  should they be individual-sized or one huge flat disc?  should butter be spread on the tender cut sides while still warm, before the fruit and cream are dolloped on?

I don't intend to enter into the debate - don't feel qualified to anyway - but since I'm a great fan of the methodical-to-the-point-of-obsessive American food magazine "Cook's Illustrated", I got guidance from its executive editor Pam Anderson's book, "The Perfect Recipe".  I sometimes veer away from it, by using creme fraiche instead of whipped cream, or by using single cream in place of half-and-half (which we don't anyway have here) and I do like to sprinkle a little balsamic vinegar on the crushed strawberries, but in all respects that matter, this is her recipe.

This is what you want to bring out to people by the plateful on a summer's day afetr lunch in the garden.

Recipe posted by Nigella

Ingredients

  • Express Recipe
  • Nigella Recipe
  • Vegetarian

FOR THE SHORTCAKES:

  • 325g plain flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 5 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 125g unsalted butter, frozen
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 125ml single cream
  • 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
  • 1 baking tray, greased or lined
  • 6 1/2cm round cutter

FOR THE FILLING:

  • Approximately 300g strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
  • Few drops balsamic vinegar (optional)
  • 250ml double cream or creme fraiche

Method

Serves: Makes 8
  1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/gas mark 7.
  2. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a bowl. Grate the butter into these dry ingredients and use your fingertips to finish crumbling the butter into the flour. Whisk the egg into the cream, and pour into the flour mixture a little at a time, using a fork to mix. You may not need all of the eggy cream to make the dough come together, so go cautiously.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll gently to a thickness of about 2cm. Dip the cutter in flour and cut out as many rounds as you can. Work the scraps back into a dough, re-roll and finish cutting out  you should get 8 in all. Place the shortcakes about 21/2cm apart on the baking sheet, brush the tops with the egg white, and sprinkle them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of caster sugar. If it helps with the rest of your cooking, or life in general, you can cover and refrigerate them now for up to 2 hours.
  4. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden-brown, and let them cool for a short while on a wire rack. Meanwhile, crush half the strawberries with the spoonful of sugar and the few drops of balsamic vinegar if using, and halve or quarter the remaining strawberries, depending on their size. Whip the double cream, if you're using.
  5. The shortcakes should be eaten while still warm, so split each one across the middle and cover with a spoonful of the crushed strawberry mixture, a few halved or quartered strawberries, then dollop some whipped cream or creme fraiche on top, and set the top back on.
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Comments

  • i love u nigella im urs big fan from pakistan i really love ur cooking style n in dis life i wish i cud meet u once in my life

    Posted by pakhair on 12th May 2011 at 12.17

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