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Berry Shortcake:
Preheat
oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the
center of
the oven. Butter, or spray with a non-stick vegetable spray, an
8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan.
In a large bowl
whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into
small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two
knives (the mixture should look like coarse crumbs). Add the
milk and vanilla extract and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
Gently
knead the
dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the dough to the prepared cake pan and gently pat
until it is even. Brush the top of the dough with a little cream.
Bake for
about 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the
center of the scone comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Filling: In a large bowl, gently stir together the berries and sugar. (The amount of sugar used will depend on how sweet the berries are.) Although
not absolutely necessary, try to set
the berries aside to macerate (soak) at room temperature for
about 30 to 60 minutes.
Whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream,
vanilla extract, and sugar and
stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at
least 30 minutes. When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream will hold for several hours in the refrigerator.
To serve: Cut the
scone in half horizontally and place the bottom
half of the scone (soft side up) on a large dessert plate. Top with the
cream and the
berries. Place the top half of
the scone on top of the berries. Dust the top of the scone with
confectioners sugar (powdered or icing sugar) and can garnish with a few
berries. Serve
immediately. If there are any leftovers, cover and store in the refrigerator.
Serves
about 6 - 8 people.
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