Three Fruit Shortcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture; pour in the buttermilk and milk, and mix just until the dough gathers together. Do not overwork. Cover the bowl, and allow dough to rest 10 to 15 minutes. Roll or pat the dough into 6 rounds, each about 3 inches in diameter. Place on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Place on a rack and cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, combine the blueberries, apricots, and cherries in a bowl. Toss to blend and set aside.
• Beat the whipping cream in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Stir in 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Split the shortcakes in half and place the bottom halves on 6 serving plates. Spoon whipped cream over each half, top with fruit, and place a shortcake top on each. Dust tops with remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the berries, peaches and 2 teaspoons sugar; set aside. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk just until moistened. Drop by lightly packed 1/3 cupfuls 2 in. apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Gently flatten into 2-1/2-in. circles. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. , Bake at 425° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Split shortcakes in half horizontally. Spoon fruit onto bottoms; spread whipped cream over fruit or on the shortcake tops.

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. transfer to a bowl; press a piece of plastic wrap on top of custard. Refrigerate., In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk until a soft dough forms. Pat gently into a 9-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., Cut shortcake into 3/4-in. cubes. In parfait glasses, alternate layers of shortcake, custard, sliced strawberries and blueberries. Garnish with halved strawberries and a dollop of whipped topping.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and lightly flour a baking sheet. Put the flour, butter, sugar, half of the vanilla seeds and ¼ tsp salt into the bowl of a food processor, then pulse until fine. Tip into a large bowl. Beat the milk, egg and a good squeeze of lemon together, then tip into the bowl and bring together with a knife, using a cutting action, until you have a clumpy dough. Finally bring together with your hands if you need to.
• Lightly flour the work surface, tip the dough onto it, then quickly shape into a smooth-ish disc. Using a rolling pin, pat out to 2cm thick. Cut out 8 rounds with a smooth 7cm cutter (you'll need to pinch together the trimmings). Glaze just the tops with beaten egg, transfer to the floured sheet, then bake for 10-12 mins until risen and golden, and they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack.
• Beat the remaining vanilla seeds and icing sugar into the clotted cream. It will get runnier at first, but keep beating and it will thicken again. To serve, slice the very top from each shortcake to give a flat surface, then spoon over about 1 tsp jam. Top with a good dollop of the vanilla clotted cream and finish with the strawberries.

Steps:

• Pick over and hull strawberries. Cut in half or slice, depending on size. Gently crush about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and the 1/2 cup of sugar, adding more sugar if necessary. Set aside, covered, for about half an hour to develop flavor.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add 3/4 cup of softened butter, and rub into dry ingredients as for pastry. Add 1 1/4 cups cream, and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough for one minute on a lightly floured pastry board, then roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut an even number of rounds - 2 rounds per serving.
• Use a little of the butter to grease a baking sheet. Place half the rounds on it. Melt remaining butter and brush a little on the rounds; place remaining rounds on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, and pull shortcakes apart. Brush the insides with some of the remaining melted butter.
• Beat remaining cream until it thickens. Add vanilla. Beat again just until thick.
• Place a bottom half of a shortcake on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of berries. Cover with a top half, add a few more berries, and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.