Shortcake With Mascarpone And Brandied Apricots Recipes

STONE-FRUIT SHORTCAKES WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• Add the vanilla extract, sugar, 1 cup water and orange juice to a medium saucepan. Whisk the mixture over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the peaches and plums and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the fruit is tender and the syrup has reduced slightly, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until thick. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks. Add the mascarpone cheese and beat until thick and smooth.
• Place the shortcakes on serving plates. Spoon some of the poached fruit on the bottom half of each shortcake and top with a dollop of the whipped cream. Add the top of the shortcake and drizzle with the fruit syrup.

APRICOT NECTARINE SHORTCAKE WITH VANILLA WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In the food processor combine the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like grated Parmesan cheese. Add the cream and pulse until the mixture looks very crumbly but sticks together.
• Remove the blade from the processor and form craggy looking dough balls about the size of a small tennis ball. Put the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Sprinkle each ball with a little sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for about 11 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Add the butter to a saute pan and melt it over medium heat. Add the fruit and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl combine the cream and vanilla. Using a whisk or hand beater, beat the cream until it starts to thicken. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until the cream is very light and fluffy and it holds soft peaks.
• Cut the shortcakes in half. Spoon a generous amount of the warm fruit filling on the bottoms of the shortcakes. Replace the top and garnish with the vanilla whipped cream.

SUMMER-FRUIT SHORTCAKE WITH MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Whisk buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract in medium bowl to blend; transfer 1 tablespoon mixture to small bowl and reserve for glaze. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into large bowl; add butter. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 3 minutes. Add buttermilk mixture and blend just until soft moist dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, gather dough into ball and knead gently for 6 turns. Transfer dough to ungreased baking sheet. Shape dough into 8-inch round. Brush top with reserved 1 tablespoon buttermilk mixture. Bake cake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cake to rack and cool completely.
• Make filling:
• Toss plums, peaches, raspberries and 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat mascarpone, whipping cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl until firm peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Cut off top 1/3 of cake. Using small knife and leaving 1/2-inch border at edge, cut out enough of cake bottom to form 1/2-inch-deep indentation. Spread half of mascarpone cream in indentation. Using slotted spoon, remove fruit from bowl; mound onto cream. Reserve fruit juices in bowl. Spread remaining mascarpone cream over fruit. Cover with top of cake. Refrigerate cake and reserved juices separately, at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours.
• Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges. Drizzle with reserved fruit juices and serve.

CARAMELIZED PEACH AND MASCARPONE SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• For the genoise: Preheat the oven to 335 degrees F (or 325 if using convection). Grease a half sheet pan and line it with parchment.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs for 5 minutes until light and frothy. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the sugar; increase to medium-high speed and beat to a ribbon consistency, another 5 minutes.
• Combine the butter and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 2 minutes, until the butter is melted and the milk is hot. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla and then slowly add the flour mixture; mix until combined, scraping down the sides.
• Whisk about 1 cup from the mixer in the hot milk-butter until smooth, then return to the mixer, whisking until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared half sheet pan and bake until an inserted toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Let cool for 15 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut out 12 mini cake rounds.
• For the whipped cream: Bloom the gelatin in 2 tablespoons cold water to dissolve.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the mascarpone until smooth and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Slowly add the cream; beat until smooth, then add the vanilla. Raise the mixer speed to high and beat to soft/medium peaks.
• Mix a dollop of the whipped cream into the gelatin, then add back to the mixer. Whip to medium peaks. Chill until ready to use.
• For the caramelized peaches: Toss the peaches, sugar and salt together in a bowl.
• Heat a medium-large skillet over medium heat until hot; add the butter. Place the peaches, cut side down, in the skillet and cook, turning once, until caramelized on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side; be careful to keep the peach skins intact. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool for about 10 minutes.
• To assemble: Place a cake round on a plate and top with two peach wedges, skin-sides facing out.
• Scoop some whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large round or star tip and pipe a swirl in the center of the round, between the peach wedges.
• Top with a second cake round and pipe another swirl of whipped cream in the center. Garnish with a peach wedge and a wedge of white chocolate if using.
• Repeat to make 6 shortcakes total.

BROWN SUGAR SHORTCAKE WITH WARM BOURBON PEACHES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a baking sheet. In a bowl, combine flour, 55 grams of sugar, cornstarch, baking powder and salt, and whisk well. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers. When butter is in pea-size pieces, mix in cream and egg until a soft batter forms.
• Dump batter onto a floured surface and knead until it holds together. Divide batter into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Press larger piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick round, roughly 8 inches in diameter. Place on baking sheet and brush with butter. Press remaining dough into a 1/2-inch-thick round and place on top of first dough round. It should be smaller in size. Brush with butter and sprinkle with more sugar. Bake until shortcake is golden brown and firm to the touch all over, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, prepare the peaches. In a medium skillet, heat bourbon and add 1 tablespoon water and 25 grams of sugar. Cook until sugar dissolves, then add peaches. Let cook until peaches are warmed through and release their juices, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully cut smaller top round off shortcake. Place shortcake bottom on a serving plate and cover with warm peaches and their liquid (reheat fruit if necessary). Spoon whipped cream over peaches and place shortcake top over cream. Serve immediately.

ITALIAN-STYLE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Set aside a few pretty strawberry slices for garnish; sprinkle remaining strawberries with sugar in a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes for juice to form.
• Mix mascarpone cheese and whipped topping together in a separate bowl. Place torn pieces of angel food cake into a trifle dish; spread strawberries and their juice on cake pieces and top with mascarpone mixture. Decorate with retained strawberry slices. Refrigerate until serving time.