Author Notes
I substitute my family recipe for scone dough for traditional shortcake batter for a sweeter, more tender shortcake. The lemon sugar topping is a crunchy contrast to the soft cream and berries. Early in the summer I make it with strawberries alone and replace them with a combination of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries as they come into season. Using red and blue berries makes it a very appropriate July 4 treat. The recipe for scones was given to my by my Auntie Anna Brosnan Downes, from Castle Island, Co. Kerry, Ireland. —Phillippa Cannon
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
- Fruit
-
4 cups
berries (sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries)
-
2 tablespoons
granulated sugar
-
1
juice of 1 lemon
- Shortcakes
-
4 cups
unbleached white flour
-
1 cup
granulated sugar
-
2 teaspoons
baking powder
-
1 teaspoon
baking soda
-
1/4 teaspoon
salt
-
4 ounces
unsalted butter
-
1/2 cup
sliced strawberries
-
1
egg, beaten
-
1 cup
plain yogurt (not nonfat)
-
2 tablespoons
turbinado sugar
-
1 tablespoon
grated lemon zest
-
2 cups
heavy cream, whipped
Directions
-
Slice strawberries, add all berries to a mixing bowl.
-
Stir in lemon juice and two tablespoons granulated sugar. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for half an hour, stirring occassionally.
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-
Add flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
-
Rub in butter until mixture looks like bread crumbs.
-
Stir in beaten egg.
-
Stir in 1/2 cup sliced strawberries.
-
Fold in yogurt to form a wet dough.
-
Turn dough out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, shape the dough into a 1/2 inch high round. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut out eight shortbreads.
-
Stir lemon zest into turbinado sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle lemon sugar on the top of the shortbreads.
-
Place shortbreads on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven. The shortcakes are ready when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the shortcakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and let shortcakes cool on a wire tray for about an hour. If they will not be eaten right away, store the shortcakes in an airtight container.
-
To serve, cut the shortcakes in half horizontally. Place the bottom halves of the cakes on a platter or individual plates. Spoon berries and then cream on each shortcake. Place the top half of the shortcakes on each one. Serve immediately.
See what other Food52ers are saying.