sunnypup1

TWO-BERRY SHORTCAKES

Sweet berry juices are absorbed by a cushion of simple-to-prepare drop
biscuits in a dessert that's made for the season.
click photo to enlarge

For biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
For filling
12 oz raspberries (about 3 cups)
6 oz blackberries (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons sugar
For cream
1 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar

Make biscuits: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to
450°F.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a
large bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles
coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir just until a soft, sticky dough
forms.
Drop dough in 6 mounds about 2 inches apart on an ungreased large baking
sheet and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer biscuits to a
rack and cool to warm, about 10 minutes.
Make filling: While biscuits bake, gently mash half of berries with 2
tablespoons sugar in a bowl, then stir in remaining berries.
Make cream: Beat cream together with sugar in a large bowl with an
electric mixer until it holds soft peaks.
Carefully cut biscuits in half horizontally and arrange 1 bottom half,
split side up, on each of 6 plates. Top each with berries, whipped
cream, and other half of biscuit.
Makes 6 servings.

janerene

I just made this for my son's birthday for something different. It was a
huge hit!

Raspberry Trifle

1 9" sponge cake **
1 c seedless raspberry jame
8 oz. fresh raspberries (I used frozen, thawed)

10 oz heavy cream
3 egg yolks
3 T sugar

10 oz heavy cream
3 T sugar
1 t vanilla

2 oz slivered almonds, toasted

Cut sponge cake into cubes. Spread several sides of each cube with the jam.
Place all the cubes of jam covered cake in a trifle bowl or cut glass bowl
(It's pretty so you'll want to see it). Sprinkle raspberries over the cake
cubes.

Heat 10 oz of cream in medium saucepan over medium heat. While the cream is
heating, beat the egg yoks with the sugar until pale yellow and smooth in a
clean bowl. Pour hot cream into egg yoks and stir vigorously. Return the
egg mixture to the saucepan, place on low heat, and cook, stirring until
thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and allow
to cool.

While custard is cooling, whip 10 oz. of heavy cream in a clean bowl until
soft peaks form. Mix in 3 T sugar and vanilla.

Toast almonds by placing on a cooking sheet and putting under broiler.
Watch carefully so it doesn't burn!

Spread cooled egg custard over the cake cubes. Dollop the whipped cream on
top of the custard. Sprinkle the almonds on top of the whipped cream.

Chill 2 hours before serving.

***************************************
I couldn't find a ready made sponge cake, so I had to make my own. A friend
of mine says she uses already made lady fingers from the grocery store when
she makes trifle.

Sponge Cake

1 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c milk
2 T butter
2 eggs
1 c sugar
1 t vanilla

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Heat milk and butter until
butter melts.; keep hot. Beat eggs until thick and lemon colored, about 3
minutes on high speed of electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, beating
constantly at medium speed for 4 or 5 minutes. Add sifted dry ingredients
to egg mixture; stir just till blended. Stir in hot milk mixture and
vanilla; blend well. Turn batter into a PAM'd 9x9x2 inch cake pan. Bake at
350 for 25 to 30 minutes. Don't invert; cool in pan.