Cocoa Berry Shortcakes Food

MIXED BERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• For the biscuits: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor (or a large bowl). Add the butter pieces and pulse until the butter is completely cut into the flour mixture (or use a pastry cutter if using a bowl). Combine the buttermilk and vanilla in a measuring cup and while pulsing (or stirring) the dough, drizzle in the buttermilk mixture until the dough just comes together and is no longer crumbly.
• Drop the mixture in 8 clumps between 2 baking sheets, then bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• For the berries: Wash the berries, slice the strawberries and transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle on the granulated sugar, then add the orange zest and juice. Stir gently, then set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to allow a syrup to develop.
• For the sweet yogurt cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, yogurt, granulated sugar and brown sugar on high until stiff. (Note: It won't get quite as stiff as regular whipped cream.)
• To serve, lay one biscuit on a plate, top with syrupy fruit, then top with a good spoonful of cream.

COCO-BERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F Have ready a large cookie sheet and a 3 inch star cutter. (If you don't have a star cutter, use can use a round cutter).
• Process coconut and sugar in a food processor until coconut is finely chopped.
• Mix together the flour and the baking powder in a medium bowl.
• With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Pour 1/2 c of the lite coconut milk in with the mixture and stir with a spoon until mixture clumps together and is slightly sticky, adding more liquid, a little at a time, if necessary (up to the 2/3 cup in total).
• (Note: You can mix the shortcake dough in a processor too. Process the dry ingredients briefly to mix and then scatter butter over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With motor running, add coconut milk and process just until mixture leaves sides of bowl. Remove blades and then dough.).
• Place dough on a floured work surface; flour top.
• Pat to a little more than 3/4 inch thickness.
• Dipping cutter into flour for each, cut as many forms as possible from dough; then gently pat scraps together, fold over once, press dough out to 3/4 inches and cut as many more forms as possible from that. Repeat until you have 8 forms.
• Place forms 2 inches apart on an ungreased cooke sheet.
• Brush top lightly with the 1 tbls of reserved coconut milk, then sprinkle with coarse or granulated sugar.
• Bake 12 minutes or until slightly puffed, bottoms are brown and tops are pale gold.
• Gently slide cakes onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• Shortly before serving, split shortcakes in half (using a serrated knife and gentle sawing motion makes it easier and less likely to tear the shortcake).
• Fill with berries and top with whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

PERFECT BERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 425 degrees. Mix flour, salt, baking powder and 3 Tbs. sugar in a medium bowl. Grate 2 Tbs. of the butter on the coarse holes of a box grater into dry ingredients; toss to coat. Repeat grating and tossing with remaining butter. Combine egg and half-and-half; pour into flour mixture. Toss with a fork to form large clumps. Lightly press clumps into a ball; add a teaspoon more half-and-half to the bowl if dough won't come together.
• Turn dough onto work surface; press into an 8-by-4- to 5-inch rectangle. Cut into 6 squares, placing them 1 inch apart on a small baking sheet. (Can be refrigerated up to 2 hours before baking.) Before baking, brush tops with optional egg white for a particularly attractive sheen. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbs. sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool until warm, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Mix thawed and fresh berries with sugar in a bowl; let stand until sugar dissolves. With a hand mixer, beat cream to soft peaks, gradually adding 1 Tb. sugar, then vanilla.
• Split each cake crosswise; spoon a portion of berries over each cake bottom, then a dollop of whipped cream over berries. Cap with cake top and serve immediately.

MIXED BERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. transfer to a bowl; press a piece of plastic wrap on top of custard. Refrigerate., In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk until a soft dough forms. Pat gently into a 9-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., Cut shortcake into 3/4-in. cubes. In parfait glasses, alternate layers of shortcake, custard, sliced strawberries and blueberries. Garnish with halved strawberries and a dollop of whipped topping.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Make the shortcakes:
• Into a bowl sift together the cocoa powder, the flour, the sugar, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt, add the butter, and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and stir the mixture with a fork until it forms a dough. Divide the dough in half, arrange each half in a mound on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake the shortcakes in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 12 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centers comes out with crumbs clinging to it. Transfer the shortcakes to a rack and let them cool.
• In a bowl mash 3/4 cup of the raspberries with a fork, stir in 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar and the framboise, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and stir in the remaining 3/4 cup raspberries. In a small bowl with an electric mixer beat the cream until it holds soft peaks, add the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and beat the cream until it holds stiff peaks. Carefully cut the shortcakes in half horizontally with a serrated knife and with a metal spatula transfer the bottom half of each to an individual plate. (The shortcakes are delicate and crumble easily.) Top each bottom half with half the raspberry mixture, divide the whipped cream between the 2 shortcakes, and with the spatula carefully top each serving with the top half of a shortcake. Sprinkle the shortcakes with the confectioners' sugar and garnish the plates with the mint sprigs.

CHOCOLATE LOVER'S STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a shallow bowl, mix confectioners' sugar and cocoa until blended. Dip biscuits in cocoa mixture to coat; shake off excess., Place 2 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool slightly., In a small bowl, toss strawberries with sugar. In another bowl, beat cream and cocoa until cream begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form., To serve, split shortcakes in half. Fill with strawberries and half of the whipped cream. Serve with fudge topping and remaining whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Combine strawberries and 1/3 cup sugar; refrigerate if desired. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar. Cut in butter and 2/3 cup chips until crumbly. Add half-and-half and stir until just moistened. , Divide dough into 8 patties, about 3/4-in. thick. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with coarse sugar and remaining chips. , Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat whipping cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate., To assemble, split shortcakes in half. Place cake bottoms on dessert plates. Top with about two-thirds of the strawberries, whipped cream and fudge topping. Replace shortcake tops; top with remaining berries, cream and topping. Garnish with chocolate if desired.

COCOA-BERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, sugar and baking powder.
• Cut in margarine till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Make a well in the center; add skim milk all at once.
• Stir just till dough clings together.
• Drop in equal portions onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake in a 450 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Cool slightly on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, for banana cream, in a medium bowl mash banana with a fork until smooth. (You should have about 1/2 cup).
• Add whipped topping, yogurt, honey and nutmeg; stir till smooth.
• Reserve 6 berries for garnish; slice remaining berries.
• To assemble, split cocoa biscuits in half crosswise.
• Set tops aside.
• Arrange strawberry slices on bottoms.
• Dollop about 2 tablespoons of the banana cream mixture over sliced berries on each biscuit.
• Top with the biscuit tops.
• Dollop 1 tablespoons of the remaining banana cream on top of each of the assembled shortcakes.
• Garnish with the reserved whole strawberries.