Berries : Shortcake: A Berry’s Best Friend

One of the best ways to show off fresh summer fruit is in an old-fashioned shortcake. Strawberries may best exemplify this dessert, but other berries, peaches, nectarines and plums also make excellent fillings.

Flaky cookies, poundcake or shortened cakes and spongecakes may be used as the base, but old-fashioned shortcake is traditionally made with a slightly sweetened biscuit dough. Whether the surface is left rough, or smoothed and sprinkled with sugar is a matter of personal preference.

Tree fruit may be peeled, if desired, then sliced. Halve or slice strawberries; leave other small berries whole. Sprinkle the fruit with sugar, then set it aside and occasionally stir gently until the sugar dissolves and forms a syrup.

Meanwhile, place flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut in butter and/or shortening with a pastry blender (Step 1) until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in the center of the ingredients and add the milk all at once (Step 2). Stir with a fork until the dough is well moistened and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl (Step 3).

Spoon the dough into a 9-inch round cake pan that has been greased with shortening. Spread the dough to cover the bottom of the pan (Step 4). Leave the top rough, or else smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle with sugar (Step 5), if desired.

Shortcake is baked at 425 degrees 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and a wood pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool it on a wire rack about 10 minutes, then turn out of the pan.

Using a long, serrated knife, slice the warm shortcake in half horizontally (Step 6). Spread the bottom half with whipped cream, then spoon on the fruit (Step 7).

Place the top half of the cake over the fruit (Step 8) and cover with more whipped cream (Step 9). Garnish the top with additional fruit (Step 10). Cut into wedges to serve.

OLD-FASHIONED SHORTCAKE 1 3/4 cups flour Sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 3 tablespoons chilled butter 3 tablespoons shortening 3/4 cup milk or half and half

Combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt and baking powder in large bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Make well in center of ingredients and add milk all at once. Stir with fork until dough is well moistened and begins to pull away from sides of bowl.

Spoon dough into greased 9-inch round cake pan. Smooth top and sprinkle with sugar, if desired.

Bake at 425 degrees 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack 10 minutes, then turn out of pan. Makes 1 (9-inch) shortcake, 6 to 8 servings.

Each of 6 servings contains about: 254 calories; 484 mg sodium; 18 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.1 gram fiber.