Strawberry Shortcake

I spent the weekend getting my mojo back.  Saturday I spent the day (as in the entire day) on the porch glider.  I read, stared at the view and napped.  It was a gift I rarely give myself and it was exactly what I needed.  Yesterday morning my energy level was back.  I started my day with the talking political heads on TV - a Sunday morning ritual - and then picked up the kitchen, made the bed and did a grocery run.  Last night for dinner Paul made his famous grilled chicken, we had fresh corn on the cob, sliced tomato and avocado, and for dessert I made Strawberry Shortcake.  Life is good.

Out-of-Season Strawberry Shortcake with White Chocolate Whipped Cream

Serves 4

I call this 'out-of-season' strawberry shortcake because perfect, just-picked strawberries need nothing more than a slight (very slight) sprinkling of sugar to bring out the juice.  This recipe is for when the season is over, the strawberries were picked a week ago, and then trucked in from somewhere over the horizon.  The mashed berries provide nice juice and the jam makes the berries glisten.  The whipped cream is a decadent treat I adapted from one of Deb's recipes on Smitten Kitchen and I have to stop myself from downing the entire bowl.  Yeah, it's that good...

For the shortcake:

1 pound strawberries

1 TBS strawberry jam or jelly (I use the “all fruit”  kind).  Raspberry works in a pinch.

2 (if they’re large) or 4 (if they’re smaller) baking soda biscuits (I buy these in the bakery section of my grocery store)

Softened butter

For the whipped cream:

3 ounces of the best white chocolate you can find.   For me, that’s Ghirardelli.
5 ounces of heavy cream (a 1/2 cup plus a smidge)

At least 3 hours before serving, get the strawberries ready:

1.    Rinse, hull and slice the strawberries into a bowl – set aside ½ cup in smaller bowl
2.    Mash the ½ cup of berries, using either a fork or potato masher

3.    Melt the jam in the microwave – it should only take about 15 seconds.
4.    Add the mashed berries and the melted jam to the sliced berries.

5.   Cover with plastic wrap and set aside, stirring occasionally.  If you’re doing this in the morning, I’d put them in the fridge once they are nice and juicy.  Bring to room temp before serving.


At least 2 hours before serving, start the whipped cream:

1.    Break the chocolate into small pieces.

2.    In the microwave, heat the cream to just boiling.  Pull it out the second it starts to expand in the      cup.  If you’re not comfortable doing it this way, bring to a bare simmer in a small saucepan.
3.    Pour the cream over the chocolate, let it sit for about a minute, then whisk until smooth.

4.    Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream/chocolate mixture.  If you just cover the bowl, a skin will form as the cream cools.

5.    Place in refrigerator and, if you don’t need them for something else, put the beaters from your hand mixer in there with them.

Just before serving:

1.    Whip the cream/chocolate mixture until soft peaks form.

2.    Turn the broiler on to medium and adjust the rack to the top third.
3.    Split the shortcakes and spread each half with the softened butter and place on cookie sheet.
4.    Broil until tops are golden brown and sizzling.

5.    Top each half with strawberry mixture and the whipped cream.

6.    Serve!

Note: All of this, up to the “Just before serving” part can be done a day ahead.  Any more than that and the berries will get yucky.