Food

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Sweet

Summer's first fruits dress up

old-fashioned shortcakes.

ANNABEL COHEN

Special to the Jewish News

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6/14
2002

102

ummer begs for shortcake. As
the mercury creeps up, we
creep outside and heaviness —
in our minds as well as our
appetites — lifts. Nothing too rich,
nothing too saucy. Give us something
fruity, any day of the week.
Here's where shortcake nudged its way
in to become America's sweetheart
dessert, right up there with brownies and
chocolate chip cookies.
All shortcake recipes have no eggs
(neither does its cousin, shortbread).
And while it is cake-like, shortcake is
more of a biscuit than a true cake. I've
read that the name comes from a "short"
cooking method, meaning that it's made
crispy by using fat. In fact, short (as in
shortening) means the same thing in the
word shortbread.
Shortcakes are also considered "quick
breads." Unlike yeast-risen breads, quick
breads use moistened baking powder
and/or baking soda as leavening agents.
They're quick because you don't have to
wait for the yeast to do its stuff. Just mix
and bake.
Biscuits are made almost exactly the
same way as shortcakes, but without the
sweet flavor. Scones are similar, but usu-
ally contain eggs.
Shortcakes can be savory, but we most
often think of them as sweet (though
every once in a while a trendy eatery will
serve foods with herbed or cheesy short-
cakes topped with stew or creamed this
or that).
Some time in the last couple of cen-
turies, Americans decided that fresh fruit
and whipped cream added to shortcake
was a good idea. Strawberries, being one
of the first soft summer fruits to harvest,
were a natural pairing for the light and
crumbly, yet plain, dessert.

Some remember shortcakes as large,
not-too-tall discs, sliced in half horizon-
tally before layering with whipped cream
and sweetened berries and cut into pie-
like wedges.
It's so much easier to make them in
individual portions, split or not, with
fruit and a big spoonful of whipped
cream or ice cream.
If you're looking for other ways to
vary the traditional shortcake recipes,
read on. The following treats are more
elaborate, yet feel as homey and simple
as they should be, short and sweet.

SOUR CREAM SHORTCAKES
WITH MASCARPONE CREME
AND MIXED BERRIES
Shortcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t. salt
6 T. butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
Mascarpone Creme:
1 cup Mascarpone cheese, room tem-
perature
1 cup Ricotta cheese, room tempera-
ture
1/2 cup whipping cream, not
whipped
1/3 cup sugar
2 T. Framboise or other berry or
orange liqueur, optional
Berry Filling:
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 cups fresh strawberries
Make shortcakes: Preheat oven to
425F. Spray a cookie sheet with non-
stick cooking spray or line with parch-
ment paper. Combine flour, sugar, bak-

ing powder, baking soda and butter in
the bowl of a food processor and pulse
to mix. Add remaining shortcake ingre-
dients and pulse until just combined.
Drop the dough in large tablespoon-
fuls onto the cookie sheet, to make
about 8 shortcakes. Shape the mounds
into circles with a wet spoon. Bake for
about 15 minutes until lightly golden.
Remove from oven and cool. These are
best when made the day you use them.
Make Mascarpone creme: Combine
all creme ingredients in a medium bowl
and whisk or stir well. Cover with plastic
wrap and chill until an hour before serv-
- ing.
Make berry filling:
Combine blueberries, water and sugar
in a small saucepan over medium-high
heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and
cook the berries, stirring frequently, until
softened and "saucy," about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, place other berries in a
large bowl and add hot blueberries to
the mixture. Stir the berries well until all
are coated.
To serve, split the shortcakes in half
horizontally. Place the split the short-
cakes on individual plates. Spoon one- _
eighth of the berries over the bottom
halves of the shortcakes and replace the
tops. Spoon the Mascarpone creme over
or around the shortcakes and serve.
Makes 8 servings.

ORANGE CORNMEAL SHORT-
CAICES WITH STRAWBERRIES,
BANANAS AND TWO SAUCES
Shortcakes:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (not flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into
pieces

1 cup orange juice
Filling:
8 ripe bananas, sliced into circles just
before serving
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
Toppings:
1 cup caramel or butterscotch ice-
cream topping
1 cup chocolate or fudge ice-cream
topping
1 cup whipping cream, whipped (you
may add 2 T. banana liqueur to this if
you wish)
Make shortcakes:
Preheat oven to 425F. Spray a cookie
sheet with nonstick cooking spray or
line with parchment paper. Combine
flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder,
baking soda, salt and butter in the bowl
of a food processor and pulse to mix.
Add remaining shortcake ingredients
and pulse until just combined. Drop the
dough in large tablespoonfuls onto the
cookie sheet, to make about 8 short-
cakes. Shape the mounds into circles
with a wet spoon. Bake for about 15
minutes until lightly golden. Remove
from oven and cool. These are best
when made the day you use them.
To serve, split the shortcakes in half
horizontally. Place the split the short-
cakes on individual plates. Spoon one-
eighth of the bananas and strawberries
over the bottom halves of the shortcakes
and replace the tops. Heat the two
sauces in the microwave oven (high for 1
minutes) and drizzle the sauces over the
shortcakes. Spoon a dollop of whipped
cream on the plate next to each short-
cake. Makes 8 servings.

SOUR CHERRY SHORTCAKES
WITH FRESH APRICOT SAUCE
Shortcakes:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 T. baking powder