Strawberry or Peach Shortcake

Makes 6-8 servings

Melba

Recipe can be used for peach shortcake with walnut brittle garnish or strawberry.

ingredients

FRUIT:
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches or nectarines (or sliced strawberries)
1 T lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
Sprinkle lemon juice over peaches in large bowl; add sugar; toss to mix. (For strawberries, combine with sugar and omit lemon juice.)
Let stand about 30 minutes for juices to develop.
WHIPPED CREAM:
1 cup heavy cream
2 T sugar
Beat cream with sugar to make whipping cream, refrigerate.
SHORTCAKE:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3 to 5 T granulated sugar
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
About 1/3 cup milk
Walnut Brittle Garnish:
Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 2 T water in small skillet or saucepan; heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted.
Continue cooking, without stirring, over medium heat until mixture turns light amber in color.
Stir in 1 T chopped walnuts.
Pour onto a small buttered cookie sheet; spread into a 4-5 inch round.
When slightly cooled and mixture holds its shape, cool; then crush with hammer.

1
Start heating oven to 450 degrees.
2
Into mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar; add rind.
3
With pastry blender or 2 knives, scissor fashion, cut shortening into flour mixture until like cornmeal.
4
Add beaten egg, then enough milk to make easily handled dough.
5
For large shortcake: (My way)
6
Roll or pat dough into 1/2 inch think round to fit 9 inch greased layer pan.
7
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or till done.
8
For individual shortcakes:
9
Roll or pat dough 1/2 inch thick; cut into 3 inch rounds.
10
Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or till done.
11
Split shortcakes; recipe says to butter well (I don’t)
12
Fill with fruit; peaches or strawberries and ice cream or whipped cream (sprinkle half of brittle on for peach shortcake).
13
Top with rest of fruit, then with whipped cream or ice cream (sprinkle rest of brittle on top as garnish for peach shortcake).
14
Serve.