A good year for strawberries
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from June 1981.
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A strawberry trifle is as dramatic to see as it is delicious to eat. TRAWBERRY SOUF. FLE
3 cups sweetened puree of strawberries
½ cup strawberry juice
½ cup sugar
I envelope gelatin
I cup heavy cream
I egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
12 fresh strawberries
Additional whipping cream uree the strawberries in food mill or blender and sweeten to taste. Soften the gelatin in 2 tablespoons cold water. Heat the ½ cup strawberry juice and dissolve the softened gelatin in. Stir until completely dissolved. Stir in the strawberry puree. Beat the cream until stiff. Beat the egg whites until they begin to thicken, then add the ½ cup sugar and vanilla, continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold first the eggwhite mixture into the strawberry mixture, then the whipped cream. Make a collar of wax paper and fit it around a 1½-quart souffle mold. Spoon in the strawberry mixture. Chill for at least 6 hours. Remove the collar and decorate the top with fresh strawberries and rosettes of whipped cream piped from a pastry tube. Serves six.
Lovely as a souffle may be, most of us think that nothing equals an old-fashioned strawberry shortcake, one that is really "short," a rich, flaky and buttery biscuit, split, with sugared berries between the layers and on top.
Cooks argue as to whether the shortcake should be served with thick cream or whipped cream, but they all agree that those sponge cake round in food markets are a sorry substitute for the real thing.
This recipe is from "Easy Elegant Luncheon Menus" by Beverly Barbour: OLD-FASHIONED
STRAWBERRY
SHORTCAKE
2 baskets (1 pt. each) strawberries, washed and hulled
½ cup plus 2 tsps. sugar
1 cup heavy cream
½ tsp. orange rind, grated Reserve whole berries for topping shortcake. Slice strawberries into a bowl, sprinkle with ½ cup sugar and let stand at room temperature. If desired, crush berries slightly.
Whip cream with 2 teaspoons sugar, refrigerate. and stir just until blended.
Pat into a 9-inch round on a greased baking sheet and bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool about 2 minutes, then split shortcake with a serrated knife into two layers. Spread a little softened butter on the bottom cut side and the top of the top layer. Place bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread with 2/3 of whipped cream and top with 2/3 of strawberries and syrup. Add top layer of shortcake, spread with almost all of remaining whipped cream and top with remaining berries and syrup. Garnish top with a dollop of whipped cream and reserved whole berries. Serves eight. SHORTCAKE
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1½ tsp. nutmeg
½ cup soft butter or margarine
1 egg
1/3 cup milk Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Beat together egg and milk, add to flour mixture
