Fresh Cherry Shortcake Food

FRESH CHERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Combine 6 cups cherries, 6 tablespoons sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl. Allow cherries to rest for 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk egg and half-and-half in a small bowl; stir into the flour mixture with a fork until dough is moistened with large clumps. Add a teaspoon more half-and-half to the bowl if dough won't come together.
• Roll tennis ball size scoops of dough and place on prepared baking sheet. Press each ball down lightly to form 1/2-inch discs. Brush dough with egg white and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Slice each cake in half horizontally. Layer a generous portion of halved cherries, almonds, and whipped cream between cake halves. Top with another dollop of whipped cream, almonds, and a whole cherry.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry to a 10-in. square; cut into 12 rectangles (approx. 3x2-1/2 in.). Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely., In a large bowl, toss strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. In another bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add vanilla and remaining sugar; beat until stiff peaks form., To serve, split pastries horizontally in half. Top each bottom half with 2 tablespoons whipped cream and 1 tablespoon strawberries; replace top half. Top with remaining whipped cream and strawberries.

LUSCIOUS CHERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• In a preheated 375-degree oven, bake the biscuits as directed on package.
• In a medium bowl, sprinkle the brown sugar over the sour cream; let stand for 2 minutes. Beat in the whipping cream on high speed until slightly thickened. Refrigerate until time to serve.
• When the biscuits are done, brush them with melted butter; sprinkle with sugar. Cool 5 minutes. Split biscuits horizontally; fill and top with pie filling and the sour cream mixture.

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.

FRESH CHERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers and 2 tablespoons sugar until finely ground. Add butter, and process until combined. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using the base of a dry measuring cup, firmly press mixture into bottom and up sides of pan. Bake until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add cream, and beat until soft peaks form; spread mixture in cooled crust. Scatter cherries on top.
• In a small saucepan, combine jam and 1 teaspoon water; heat over low until liquefied, about 2 minutes. Using a pastry brush, dab cherries with glaze. Refrigerate tart at least 30 minutes or, covered, up to 1 day.

CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan.
• Stir in water.
• Add the cherries and cook until thick and bubbly.

FRESH BERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar and orange juice; set aside. , For shortcakes, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, orange zest and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk 1-1/2 cups cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead 8-10 times., Pat or roll out to 1-in. thickness; cut with a floured 3-in. scalloped or round biscuit cutter. Place 2 in. apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon cream; sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes., For whipped cream, beat cream in a large bowl until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. , Just before serving, cut shortcakes in half horizontally. Place bottoms on dessert plates; top with strawberry mixture. Replace tops; dollop with whipped cream.

EASY CHERRY BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 15x10 sheet pan with baking spray.
• In a stand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, then add extracts.
• Gradually fold in flour to butter mixture until combined and dough forms.
• Press 3 cups dough into prepared pan.
• Spread with cherry pie filling covering all the dough evenly.
• Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling.
• Bake 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Cool completely in pan before glazing.

THE BEST CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F and grease the sides of a 9″ springform pan.
• Mix the cracker crumbs and melted butter together in a small bowl. Press into the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until combined.
• Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between on low speed.
• Blend in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Gently pour the batter over the crust.
• Bake for 60-75 minutes or until the edges are set and 2-3″ of the center is still wobbly.
• Turn off oven and run a thin knife along the edge to loosen the cake from the sides. Let cool in the oven for an hour with the door ajar. Then cool to room temperature before refrigerating for a minimum of 4 hours or preferably overnight.

PLUM AND BLACK CHERRY BUTTERMILK SHORTCAKES WITH GINGER CARDAMOM WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• For the buttermilk shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Chill 2 large mixing bowls, a pastry cutter, the flour and cubed butter in the freezer for 15 minutes before assembling the shortcakes.
• Add the flour to one of the chilled mixing bowls. Working quickly, cut the butter into the flour using the chilled pastry cutter (or your fingers); the goal here is pea-size balls of butter. In batches, add the buttermilk until the dough is cohesive yet still moist. (You may not need all of it.) Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and lightly press into a 1-inch-thick round. Using a 4-inch biscuit cutter or the business end of a dry measuring cup, cut out 8 biscuits.
• Preheat a cast iron skillet in the oven for 5 minutes.
• Swirl the oil in the bottom of the skillet and gently arrange the biscuits in the skillet, making sure they are all nestled up against each other tightly.
• Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Bake until the tops are just slightly golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• For the plums and cherries: Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the plums, cherries, granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice, ginger and cinnamon. Cook, stirring very gently as the fruit releases its juice, until the fruit is slightly soft, a few minutes. Take off the heat and add the butter. Gently stir until melted.
• For the ginger cardamom whipped cream: In the other cold bowl, mix together the cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cardamom and ginger. Beat to medium peaks.
• For assembly: Split a warm shortcake with a fork. Place the bottom on a plate or shallow bowl and spoon on some of the warm plum and cherry mixture. Dollop on some whipped cream and sprinkle with some candied walnuts. Top with the top of the shortcake. Spoon on some more of the warm plum and cherry mixture, dollop on more whipped cream and sprinkle with more candied walnuts. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 7 more.