A take on my famous LA Strawberry Shortcakes with Lemon Curd and Vanilla Whipped Cream from my cookbook “Vanilla Table”, easy to prepare, and bake and devour, are delicious any time of the day. Go totally decadent and smush a scoop of your fave ice cream on top or between the layers of freshly baked shortcake. I’ll always, well almost always, choose vanilla ice cream. Just can’t help it. What’s your favorite combo?
Makes 12-16
Ingredients
65g/¼ cup sugar or vanilla sugar
Zest of 1 lemon and one orange
220g/8oz/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
1Tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp kosher, sea or plain salt
4 heaped teaspoons poppy seeds
110g/4oz/1stick butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
1 large egg and one yolk, whisked
170ml/6oz chilled cream, or half cream and half sour cream.
1tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste (optional)
Plus a spoonful of extra cream and sprinkling sugar for tops
2 cups frozen blackberries, raspberries or blueberries-you can use fresh but best to freeze them so they don’t bleed and leave you with purple gray scones.
Method
Gather ingredients.
Preheat oven to 375F/ 190C. Lightly oil a baking tray or cookie sheet with a silicone mat, baking paper or foil and set aside.
Directions
In a small bowl rub the sugar and the zest with your fingertips to release the fragrant citrus then set aside.
In a large bowl whisk the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds mixing well. Chop the chilled butter into the flour mix using 2 forks or a hand pastry blender (from the hand tool drawer-a fav tool of mine and been around for generations) until mixture resembles pea-sized butter bits.
Fold in the citrus-sugar mix combining well. Beat the egg, yolk, cream or soured cream and vanilla (optional) until smooth. Using a fork gently quickly combine the wet into the dry, gently folding the ingredients together.
Using hands or a bowl scraper, transfer the dough to a flat dry lightly flour dusted surface-it’s okay if there are a few dry bits not entirely combined-just press and fold them in, then pat out your rectangle shape again.
Gently pat dough into a rectangle about ½ to ¾ in (1.3 to 2 cm) thick. Press frozen berries into dough.
Working quickly fold a third of the dough using a spatula or dough scraper over to center then the other side to center gives you 3 layers-called a 3 fold.
Gently press together and while still cold slice into bars, then cut each bar in half or thirds. Arrange on baking tray and gently press each scone into tray which aids in helping to stay standing! Brush tops with cream then sprinkle sugar on the tops to add a bit of crunch. At this stage you may cover and freeze until ready to bake, though I recommend doing the sugar sprinkle just before baking, so it stays dry and crunchy.
Bake in center of fan oven for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Remove from oven onto a cooling rack until just warm.
Serve with a cuppa and your favorite method (ice cream, lashings of clotted cream or lightly salted butter) to dress your scones. When cool if wrapped tightly and frozen, they will keep beautifully for a few weeks ready for another tea or dessert time treat! NM