Summer Berry Shortcake

Whenever I do my tours of Thrift stores and find the older Food and Drink from the LCBO they come home with me. This recipe for Berry Shortcake is the BEST we have ever. The recipe came from Summer 2009. The mascarpone cheese in the whip cream is brilliant. It is best eaten the day baked. I decided to add this recipe to Cream Puffs In Venice Magazine Mondays.

Summer Berry Shortcake

Ingredients:

Shortcake:

2 cups unbleached flour
3 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. grated orange rind
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 egg
1 tbsp. whipping cream
Additional sugar

Filling:

3 cups mixed summer berries of your choice. (we used strawberries only)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Additional berries for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven for shortcake to 425º.

Add four, sugar, baking powder, orange rind and salt into a food processor until combined.
Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Transfer this into medium bowl.
In small bowl beat yogurt and egg.
Add this mixture to the flour all at once; stir with fork until flour is moistened.
(Do not over mix)
Gather mixture into a ball and knead lightly 10 to 12 times.
On a lightly butter baking sheet, pat out dough to a 7" round.
With a sharp knife score top of round in 8 equal parts. (do not cut through)
Brush top with whipping cream; sprinkle with additional sugar.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and risen.
Cool on rack.

Filling:

Slice strawberries, leave the other berries whole that you choose.
In a large bowl stir all berries together and add 2 tbsp. sugar.
Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until juicy.

In a medium bowl combine whipping cream, mascarpone cheese, vanilla and remainder of the sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.

When ready to serve; cut shortcake in half horizontally using a serrated knife and place bottom half onto serving platter.
Spoon berries with juices onto the bottom layer; spread cream mixture over berries.
Cover with the top layer and add berries to top for garnish.
Cut into wedges to serve.

Serves 8