Southern Shortcake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven 450 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter and shortening. Mix in half-and-half. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown. Cool and eat with berries, ice cream and/or whipped cream.

Steps:

• For the shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk the heavy cream, sour cream and vanilla in a small bowl; refrigerate until ready to use. Pulse the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter; pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal. Pour in the chilled heavy cream mixture and pulse until just combined.
• Lightly flour a work surface and dump the dough onto it. Pat out the dough 1/2-inch thick. Cut out as many biscuits as you can with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Then pat the remaining dough out to 1/2-inch thick again. Cut more biscuits; you should get 12.
• Put 6 of the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops generously with cream, then top each cream-brushed biscuit with one of the remaining biscuit rounds. (This makes it easier to split once they are baked.) Brush the top of each biscuit stack with more heavy cream and sprinkle 1 teaspoon granulated sugar on each biscuit.
• Bake the biscuits until golden and puffed, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
• Meanwhile, for the topping: Toss the strawberries and 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar in a medium bowl.
• Just before serving, beat the heavy cream, sour cream, the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
• Split the shortcakes in half. Spoon half the cream on the bottom of the biscuits, top evenly with the strawberries and top with the remaining cream. Put each biscuit top on and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9-inch cast iron skillet and set aside. Reserve remaining butter.
• Combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup cold butter with a pastry knife until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour in milk and stir just until the dough starts to come together.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Divide ball in half and lightly knead each half. Gently roll each half into a 9-inch circle.
• Place 1 dough circle into the prepared skillet, and dot with reserved butter. Place second dough circle on top of the butter pieces, and place the skillet in the center of the preheated oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is lightly browned, 22 to 25 minutes.
• While the shortcake is baking, prepare peaches. Slice 1 peach, toss with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and set aside. Chop the remaining peaches, yielding about 4 cups, and toss with remaining lemon juice.
• Turn shortcake out onto a rack to slightly cool, about 5 minutes. Slice in half crosswise, using the edge of the second layer as a guide. Place bottom half on a serving plate, cut side up.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup white sugar on a plate and lightly mash 2 cups of peaches into the sugar. Spread out mashed peaches and sugar over the shortcake layer on the serving plate. Cover mashed peaches with the second shortcake layer, cut side up.
• Toss remaining chopped peaches with remaining sugar and distribute on top of the second layer. Toss peach slices in any remaining juice, and place in a decorative pattern on top of the shortcake.

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch baking pan.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg and milk in another bowl; stir into flour mixture until batter is just blended. Spread batter in the prepared baking pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the mixture till crumbly.
• In a small bowl, combine the egg and half-and-half and beat till well blended, then add to the flour mixture and stir till thoroughly moist.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead very briefly. With your hands, pat out the dough to about a 1/2-inch thickness, then, using a floured 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 6 biscuits.
• Place the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake on the upper rack of the oven till slightly brown on top, about 12 minutes.
• While they're still hot, split open the biscuits, spread lightly with butter, and arrange close together on a crystal cake plate.
• Spoon the berries and cream onto the biscuits and serve while still warm. (For attractive individual servings, prop one biscuit half at an angle on the other on small dessert plates and spoon berries and cream over the tops.
• Note: I've used Bisquick Mix for the biscuits when I don't have the time to make the real deal, and in my opinion they are quite acceptable, too. Just be sure to use only the freshest, ripe, sweet strawberries, and serve the biscuits warm with butter.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Add the cold butter and cut in with 2 knives or a pastry blender to coarse-crumb consistency.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the milk until fully combined. Gradually stir the egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture. Knead the dough for no more than a minute on a lightly floured board. Pat half the dough into each cake pan. Brush the surfaces with the melted butter. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Turn the shortcake layers out onto cooling racks.
• While the layers are cooling, wash the strawberries and remove the hulls. Reserve a few berries for garnish. Cut the large berries in half and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Let stand for about 30 minutes.
• Spoon half of the berries with their juice over one shortcake layer. Place the second layer on top and spoon the remaining berries and juice over it. Top with whipped cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Unroll biscuits, place on baking sheet and bake in the oven according to directions.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the strawberries and half of the sugar. Let stand for 1 hour to meld flavors.
• In a small bowl, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon.
• Remove biscuits from oven; split the biscuits and dredge in cinnamon sugar; place on serving plate. Top biscuits with macerated strawberries.
• Place whipped topping in a bowl and fold in the sour cream. Garnish shortcakes with a dollop of whipped topping mixture.

Steps:

• Make the shortcake: Preheat the oven to 375°F Spray a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick vegetable spray. In a small bowl, stir 1 tablespoon sugar with the cinnamon. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, the baking powder, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the cold butter until it is the size of small peas. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and the beaten eggs. Stir with a fork, until a dough forms. Scrape the dough into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 minutes, until the top is golden, Brush the top of the hot cake with the melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Transfer the shortcake to a rack to cool for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: In a small bowl, pour the brandy over the raisins and let stand for 20 minutes. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the peaches, cover and cook over moderately low heat until the peaches just begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the brandy. Add the remaining brandy and the raisins to the skillet along with the brown sugar and cinnamon. cook the peaches over moderate heat, stirring often, until glazed and crisp-tender, about 8 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whip the cream with the reserved 1 tablespoon of brandy until soft peaks form. Remove the shortcake from the pan and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake in half horizontally; slide the top of the cake onto a plate. Spoon the peaches and their sauce over the bottom of the shortcake. Top with the other half of the cake. Cut the shortcake into wedges and serve with a dollop of brandy whipped cream.
• Note: The shortcake can be baked up to 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.
• FYI: I like my whipped cream a little sweeter, so I add about 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar to heavy cream along with the 1 tablespoon of brandy before whipping the cream.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500°. In a bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt. Work the butter or lard in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough forms a ball.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over onto itself 10 times. Pat the dough out to an 8-inch square. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, stamp out 12 biscuits; reroll the scraps and stamp out more biscuits.
• Arrange the biscuits on a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 8 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a mixing bowl.
• Stir in brown sugar; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
• Stir in chopped pecans. Separately, whisk egg with milk.
• Add milk and egg mixture to dry mixture; stir with a fork until blended.
• Turn two round cake pans upside-down and grease bottoms.
• Spread half the dough on each bottom to within about 1/2-inch of edge.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden.
• Peel, slice and sweeten peaches with about 1 1/2 cups sugar or to taste.
• In a small bowl, whip cream with flavoring until stiff.
• Place one shortcake on a plate, top with about half of the peaches and whipped cream.
• Top with second shortcake and remaining peaches and whipped cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees; grease a 9x9 dish & set aside.
• In a large bowl, cut flour, sugar & butter together until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1/2 cup of this mixture.
• To the remaining butter mixture, add the rest of the ingredients & mix well.
• Pour into prepared dish & sprinkle topping over.
• Bake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Note #1: The edges of the cake may turn a light golden brown while baking, but the topping should not brown.
• Note #2: Double the ingredients to make a larger (9x13) cake.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. Lightly grease large cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir together flour and 2 tablespoons sugar. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add half-and-half; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
• On lightly floured surface, knead dough just until smooth. Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with floured cutter or knife into desired shapes. Place about 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
• Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool.
• In small bowl, beat whipping cream and 1 tablespoon sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Split shortcakes; place on individual dessert plates. Fill and top each with fruit and whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.