Franco American Shortcake Recipes

SHORTCAKE

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.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES FOR 2 (AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN)

Steps:

• For the shortcakes, use first 8 ingredients: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a food processor, mix the flour, 5 teaspoons of sugar, the baking powder, and salt until combined (about 3 pulses) then add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (about 15 pulses).
• Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Whisk the half-and-half and the whole egg together then mix into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until large clumps form. The recipe indicates that using regular milk is ok but not as rich as the half-and-half and that using heavy cream makes the cakes too dense.
• Turn the mixture onto a floured board and shape the dough into two circles about 2-1/2 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick.
• Brush the tops with the egg white. Then sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar.
• Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, turning the pan halfway through cooking.
• Cool on wire wrack.
• For the fruit use the next 2 ingredients: Crush 3/4 cup (about 3.75 ounces) of the strawberries with a potato masher in a medium bowl. Slice the remaining strawberries and fold them into the crushed berries, along with the sugar. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
• For the whipped cream use the last 3 ingredients:.
• Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium spead until frothy -- about 1 minute. Then turn to high and whip to soft peaks, 1-3 minutes. Of course, store bought whipped cream will work, too.
• To serve: Slice the shortcake horizontally. Place some of the strawberries on the bottom half, put a dollop or two of whipped cream on the strawberries and top with the other half of the short cake.

FRANCO AMERICAN SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Chill a medium-size bowl and a whisk or whisk attachment or rotary blades of an electric mixer (for whipping the cream).
• Slice the berries and place them in a large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons sugar and set aside.
• In a large bowl or the food processor combine both flours with the salt, baking powder, and 1/4 cup of the sugar and mix well. Add the butter and process or cut into the flour until it is ranges in size from coarse cornmeal to the size of a pea.
• Add the 2 cups of heavy cream all at once and mix until the dough gathers together but doesn't completely adhere. Turn it out onto a well-floured surface, dust it lightly with flour and press it down with a rolling pin until it is rectangular in shape and about 1/2-inch thick. Fold it in thirds like a business letter and turn it one quarter turn. Lightly flour and gently press it out again until it is an even rectangle about 1/2-inch thick, fold it in thirds and turn it another quarter turn.
• Cut the dough in half, horizontally. Lightly flour half and roll it into a very even rectangle measuring about 6 x 12 inches. Cut it in half, crosswise, then cut an x through each half to give 8 triangular pieces. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place the triangles on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1/4-inch between them, and sprinkle them with the remaining sugar. Bake in the center of the oven until the shortcakes are pale golden and puffed, about 15 minutes. Slide the shortcakes off the baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
• Whisk the vanilla into the creme fraiche.
• To serve, place a shortcake in the center of a plate. Top with berries and a dollop of creme fraiche.