Walk Of Fame Chocolate Star Shortcakes Recipes

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Combine strawberries and 1/3 cup sugar; refrigerate if desired. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar. Cut in butter and 2/3 cup chips until crumbly. Add half-and-half and stir until just moistened. , Divide dough into 8 patties, about 3/4-in. thick. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with coarse sugar and remaining chips. , Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat whipping cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate., To assemble, split shortcakes in half. Place cake bottoms on dessert plates. Top with about two-thirds of the strawberries, whipped cream and fudge topping. Replace shortcake tops; top with remaining berries, cream and topping. Garnish with chocolate if desired.

CHOCOLATE WALK OF FAME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch square cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with cocoa; tap out excess. Set aside.
• Into a mixer bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and powder, and salt. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Divide batter between prepared pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and center of cake is springy to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes before inverting cakes onto rack. Let cool completely.
• Trim tops of cakes to make level. Spread a thin layer of chocolate buttercream over cakes to seal in crumbs; refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread another layer of chocolate buttercream over cakes, squaring the corners and smoothing the tops completely. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.
• Decorate star square: Cut out a paper star; place on top of cake. Sprinkle sanding sugar around star, covering cake; remove star template. Use a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #5 plain tip to pipe an oval in the bottom center of the star for the camera, leaving enough room to pipe writing above. Use licorice candies to make the camera.
• Pipe borders of both cakes: Using yellow buttercream and #5 tip and light-brown buttercream and Ateco #16 star tip, pipe alternating dots and stars on top edge.
• Decorate handprint square: Set cookie handprints on lower half of cake, extending over the edge. Using a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #3 plain tip and filled with pink buttercream, write the birthday-girl's name above handprints. Pipe "happy birthday" on star cake, above the camera. Arrange cakes next to each other to resemble two sidewalk squares.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the shortcakes: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until sandy. Add the chocolate. Whisk 1 egg, the cream and vanilla in a glass measuring cup; stir into the flour mixture with a fork to make a shaggy dough (there will be some dry bits). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; pat flat until 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 6 rounds with a knife or cookie cutter, using the scraps for the last cake.
• Place the rounds on the baking sheet; freeze for 20 minutes. Beat the remaining egg; brush onto the cakes and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until firm, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the toppings: Toss half of the strawberries with half of the sugar in a bowl; set aside. Place the other half of each in a saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, mashing with a fork to make a thick puree, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Whip the cream with a mixer until medium peaks form; swirl in the strawberry puree.
• Split the shortcakes in half. Layer some of the strawberry cream and reserved fruit on the bottoms; cover with the shortcake tops. Finish with more strawberry cream and the remaining berries.

WALK OF FAME CHOCOLATE STAR SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift flour, 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into large bowl. Mix in chocolate chips. Mix in just enough chilled cream to form dough that will be firm enough to roll out. Turn out dough onto well-floured work surface. Using well-floured hands, pat out dough to 3/4-inch-thick rectangle, frequently sliding long knife under dough to prevent sticking. With floured 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out stars. Gather dough scraps; pat out to 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and cut out additional stars (for total of about 24).
• Brush stars with butter, sprinkle with additional sugar. Arrange shortcake stars sugared side down on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until shortcakes feel firm and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 22 minutes. Transfer shortcakes to racks and cool (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover, let stand at room temperature.)
• Place scoop of ice cream in each of 8 bowls. Garnish with sauce, berries, whipped cream, 1 or 2 stars and mint, if desired. Serve immediately.