Desserts & Baking

Strawberry shortcake

6 to 8
Easy
30 minutes
15 minutes

Developed in the USA, strawberry shortcake is also commonly eaten for Christmas in Japan, where the holiday is celebrated less as a religious occasion, but just for the fun of it. It has become traditional to eat Western food, like Kentucky fried chicken and strawberry shortcake. To South Africans, shortcake is a little reminiscent of a scone, a little reminiscent of a cake.

Wine/Spirit Pairing
Villiera Rosé Brut

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Ingredients

Method
  • 500 g cake flour
  • 80 g sugar
  • 5 t baking powder
  • 1 t salt
  • 180 g cold butter, cut into bits
  • 1 cup thick cream
  • Cooled melted butter, for brushing
  • For serving:

  • 250 g sliced hulled strawberries
  • 250 g small whole strawberries
  • lightly whipped cream
  • sugar, to taste

Method

Ingredients

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using your fingertips, lightly rub in the butter until crumbly. Stir in the cream with a fork then knead lightly using your fingertips until just combined, to form a soft dough. (Work quickly to ensure a tender texture.)

2. Turn the dough onto a floured board. Pat out thickly. Stamp out 6 to 8 circles, about 7cm in diameter. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Gather the remaining dough, then pat out again to form a thick layer. Stamp out slightly smaller rounds than the first batch.

3. Repeat if necessary, but remember that if you overwork the dough, the shortcake won’t be light and fluff y. Brush the larger rounds with melted butter, then place the smaller rounds on top and brush with butter.

4. Freeze while preheating the oven to 220ºC. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 15 minutes or until risen, golden and firm. The shortcakes should be just baked through, with a cakey texture. They must be made on the day of serving, and are best served warm.

5. Assemble the shortcakes just before serving. Split apart. Spoon the sliced strawberries, sugared to taste, over the bottom halves. Top with the smaller halves and decorate with whole strawberries. Sprinkle with sugar. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Per serving:
2909kJ, 7.4g protein, 47.5g fat, 64g carbs

Find more berry recipes here.

 

Phillippa Cheifitz

Recipe by: Phillippa Cheifitz

Regular TASTE contributor Phillippa is a well-known South African author and food writer, and has won many awards, both for her magazine features and her cookbooks.

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