Strawberry Shortcake from LA

[Paul Whitaker]

ENCORE
Recipe: Ultimate strawberry shortcake

Related Stories
- The search for the perfect strawberry shortcake
4 pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled

1/4 cup sugar

10 shortcakes, recipe follows

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

1. Cut strawberries in half and toss with sugar. Set aside 1/2 hour.

2. Split each Shortcake while still warm. Spoon plenty of strawberries over bottom of each shortcake, top with generous spoonful of whipped cream and set top half of Shortcake on top. Makes 10 servings.

Each serving contains about: 380 calories; 263 mg sodium; 82 mg cholesterol; 25 grams fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.70 gram fiber.

*

It's important that your baking powder be active for the recipe to work, as there is no other leavener. The first couple of times we tried it in The Times Test Kitchen, the biscuits looked more like cookies than cakes. A change of baking powder did the trick.

Shortcake

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

Dash salt

1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into 8 pieces

3/4 cup whipping cream

1. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into medium mixing bowl. Rubbing between fingers, or cutting with crossed knives or pastry cutter, work butter into dry ingredients until mixture forms consistency of cornmeal, with few larger lumps of butter left intact. Add half of cream and stir into dry ingredients with fork. Add remainder of cream, bit by bit, until mass forms that pulls cleanly away from bottom and sides of bowl. You may not use all of cream.

2. On lightly floured work space, quickly and lightly knead dough until smooth and cohesive. Gently roll out 1/2-inch thick. Cut out biscuits with 3-inch biscuit cutter, or lightly floured juice glass. Gather leftover dough together, knead again briefly and roll out again. Cut remaining biscuits.

3. Place biscuits on unbuttered baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until light-brown and slightly crusty, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly before splitting and serving. Makes 10 biscuits.

[Joel Merrill]

I do a lot of cooking but I do very little baking. I didn't know that about baking powder. Mine is really old. I think I will throw it out and get some fresh baking powder.

Thanks for the tip. Joel

[Edith K. Thurmond]

Paul,

It was always interesting to me that your brother-in-law (and his family) had owned the Los Angeles Times newspaper for decades and did an outstanding job of making it one of the top two newspapers in the country. However, just recently I read the entire history of the ownership of the newspaper and was surprised that it was owned by 4 generations of Chandlers and that Otis was the best known publisher and made the newspaper the most profitable and influential of any of those before him. Interesting history there! He must have been named after the Otis who was the first generation to own the paper and brought it from near bankruptcy.

Lots of newspaper legacy there and an important piece of U.S. publishing history. The recently deceased author, David Halberstram, placed Otis near the top of the newspaper business and made him an icon of sorts. From the reports that I saw, the paper circulation has declined since Otis left the helm though it is still noted as a good newspaper by some. The string of short-lived publishers and editors following Otis was cited as the primary reason - with other less important ones accompanying. You seem to still be a frequent reader so it must be pretty good. :)

Blessing to you as you remember your brother-in-law,

[Paul Whitaker]

The Times has gone downhill since Otis stepped down or was assisted in stepping down. With the death of Otis and the purchase of Times Mirror by the Chicago Tribune the family has not been able to accomplish anything.

The Times will never be the same as it was.

I do read the LATimes each day along with the LANews, NY Newsday, NYTimes, Daily Oklahoman, San Diego Union Tribune, Washington Times, Washington Post, USNews, and National Review.

[Gina Stevenson]

The Times has gone downhill since Otis stepped down or was assisted in stepping down. With the death of Otis and the purchase of Times Mirror by the Chicago Tribune the family has not been able to accomplish anything.

The Times will never be the same as it was.

I do read the LATimes each day along with the LANews, NY Newsday, NYTimes, Daily Oklahoman, San Diego Union Tribune, Washington Times, Washington Post, USNews, and National Review.

Did I just count ten newspapers!? Wow! How do you have time for much else ... or even NazNet? Or, do you just mean the highlights from all ten? Even that would be rather time-consuming. :cool:

[Paul Whitaker]

I just read some of the highlights from page one of each and then I read several of the editorials and commentators. I have some favorite commentators.

I should say that I don't get out much since an accident of a year ago which left me with extreme pain in the back - two compression fractures and they are unable to ease some of the pain. The last 'specialist' gave me a diagnosis of "chronic tylenol use". Suggested I bundle up the xrays, scans, etc and find help elsewhere.

The newspapers are in the "Bookmarks toolbar" which makes for "easy grazing".

[Rosalie Ross]

Paul Whitaker, you are so funny! I really like that recipie for strawberry shortcake, and i must have known that I was going to read a post on it, as just this week i bought a new can of baking powder (Rums). I noticed that my old can, not past due date yet, was getting warped on the bottom, and thought that i needed a new can! So now we know the trick to good biscuit making for that strawberry shortcake. Also good for family reunions. Thanks! Rosalie :basic01

[John Kennedy]

Paul -

Interesting to find someone who's even more of a newspaper 'junkie' than I am. I subscribe to the LA Times, San Bernardino Sun and Riverside Press-Enterprise. When I'm on a trip I'll normally buy 3 or 4 newspapers each day, depending on how far I've traveled. By the time I've pulled out all the ads and other extraneous material, I end up wishing my house's fireplace would burn something besides gas.

[Doug Kitchen]

ENCORE
Recipe: Ultimate strawberry shortcake

Related Stories
- The search for the perfect strawberry shortcake
4 pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled

1/4 cup sugar

10 shortcakes, recipe follows

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

1. Cut strawberries in half and toss with sugar. Set aside 1/2 hour.

2. Split each Shortcake while still warm. Spoon plenty of strawberries over bottom of each shortcake, top with generous spoonful of whipped cream and set top half of Shortcake on top. Makes 10 servings.

Each serving contains about: 380 calories; 263 mg sodium; 82 mg cholesterol; 25 grams fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.70 gram fiber.

*

It's important that your baking powder be active for the recipe to work, as there is no other leavener. The first couple of times we tried it in The Times Test Kitchen, the biscuits looked more like cookies than cakes. A change of baking powder did the trick.

Shortcake

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

Dash salt

1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into 8 pieces

3/4 cup whipping cream

1. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into medium mixing bowl. Rubbing between fingers, or cutting with crossed knives or pastry cutter, work butter into dry ingredients until mixture forms consistency of cornmeal, with few larger lumps of butter left intact. Add half of cream and stir into dry ingredients with fork. Add remainder of cream, bit by bit, until mass forms that pulls cleanly away from bottom and sides of bowl. You may not use all of cream.

2. On lightly floured work space, quickly and lightly knead dough until smooth and cohesive. Gently roll out 1/2-inch thick. Cut out biscuits with 3-inch biscuit cutter, or lightly floured juice glass. Gather leftover dough together, knead again briefly and roll out again. Cut remaining biscuits.

3. Place biscuits on unbuttered baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until light-brown and slightly crusty, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly before splitting and serving. Makes 10 biscuits.


I just tried this recipe tonight for some guests. I highly recommend this recipe!!!

Not too hard to make either. America's test kitchen has a slightly easier version - no butter and more whipped cream.

Doug