Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Strawberry Shortcake

For birthdays at our house the birthday boy or girl gets to choose the menu for the day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, there pick. So when I started asking M what he wanted for his birthday he always asked for a hamburger, which I most happily prepared for him. Really how much easier could it get, I love 3 year olds and the simplicity that comes with it.

Along with the meal choices also comes a special dessert, and while birthday cake is always nice we tend to do things a bit differently at this house. They can pick any dessert they want cake is not required, so when I asked him what he wanted his response was a million different things, so I broke out the baking books and showed him pictures of a bunch of different desserts and cakes. He chose a white cake that was layered with whip cream and berries. I have made it before and while very delicious it also makes more than we needed, so I thought I would simplify it a bit and make individual strawberry shortcakes. He loved them and it gave me the opportunity to work on my shortcake recipe too.

These were super simple and very tasty. The cake itself is not sweet at all that comes from the berries and the whipped cream, though if you wanted a sweeter cake just add a bit more sugar to the dough.

Strawberry Shortcake
makes 10 large shortcakes

2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter cold and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and butter. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut butter into the flour mixture until you get a course crumb. Add in sour cream and mix slightly, next add in milk and vanilla until it just starts to come together.

Dust your counter top with flour, pat out your dough until it is 1/2 to 3/4" thick, cut out with a large biscuit cutter or into shapes with a knife. Do not handle the dough to much you will make it tough. Though it can be rolled out multiple times just handle the least amount as possible.

Place on baking sheet, lightly brush the tops with milk and sprinkle a bit of sugar on top. This will give them a nice color and a bit of shine and crunch.

Bake for 18 minutes until the edges start to turn brown. Let cool and serve with fresh berries and whipped cream.

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