11 June 2013

Rite of Spring



We picked our first substantial colander of fresh strawberries today. It's raining and chilly, but who cares? There are perfect berries right out of the back yard bed, macerating in a layer of sugar and about a tablespoon of dry red wine.






The shortcakes are crisp and layered - warm from the oven and ready for splitting. They smell buttery and sweet and there is steam seeping from the flaky layers.




The cream is sweetened and whipped ... but not too much. It must drape itself loosely when plopped into place. It's the Lindquist law ... probably voted on over many a Springtime supper table and passed on from one generation to the next until it is no longer questioned, just taken for Gospel.




Works for me!



Shortcakes

Ingredients:

2 c. flour
2 ½ tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
⅓ c. cold butter, cut into small lumps
¾ c. cold milk

Making the Shortcakes:


  1. Measure the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
  2. Cut the butter lumps into the dry mix until the mixture resembles meal.
  3. Add the cold milk and mix briskly to make a lump of dough.
  4. Knead the dough 20 times, gathering any loose flour into the dough ball.
  5. Lightly dust a cold surface with flour and roll the dough out to ½ inch thickness. Cut three inch circles of dough.
  6. Preheat the oven to 450° F.
  7. Place the shortcakes on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until golden and crisped.
  8. Split the warm shortcakes and butter them lightly, top with prepared berries and plop whipped cream atop.
  9. Serve immediately.




8 comments:

  1. OMG this is amazing!!!
    xox

    ReplyDelete
  2. Strawberry shortcake with local berries(or in your case, backyard)is the best late spring dessert in the world. I will definitely be making your shortcake and trying the sweet whipped cream the Lindquist way.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fresh berries are the best. This looks like a decadent and delicious dessert. YUM.

    ReplyDelete
  4. the taste of summer from your own back garden is a joyous thing indeed.... love those little cakes... mine with cream please x

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've given up growing my strawberries, the racoons get them every time!! Love your dessert.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yummmm. They look beautiful. We have only had one strawberry so far. And a handful of blueberries.
    Enjoy your fresh fruit!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lucky you! Today is national strawberry shortcake day!!! I like the addition of the wine!!!

    Thank you for your visit, we can hear the ocean at night, we're about a half mile from the beach and it's amazing sometimes! The sound just carries up the hill!

    ReplyDelete
  8. These strawberry shortcakes works for me too! I'm on the same wave-length for making St.Shtcake any day now! Outstanding photos!

    I love this season!

    Roz

    ReplyDelete

Anonymous comments will not be accepted. Please be aware that due to spamming concerns, I must be able to track back. Use your Google account ID to comment.