Retro Food and Recipes: Strawberry Shortcake

There isn’t anything that tastes more familiar and comforting than great old-fashioned strawberry shortcake.  This retro recipe has some great variations, to keep an old favorite new and fresh.  These suggestions include replacing the whipped cream with either ice cream (awesome on a warm day) or cream cheese (delicious and a little more elegant).  This recipe is sure to make your mouth water!

Strawberry Shortcake
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teasp. double-acting baking powder
¾ teasp. salt
3 to 5 tablesp. granulated sugar
1 teasp. grated lemon or orange rind (optional)
½ cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
About 1/3 cup milk
Butter or margarine
4 cups sweetened sliced strawberries*
1 qt. softened vanilla ice cream

*Reserve several whole strawberries for garnish.

Start heating oven to 450°F. Into mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar; add rind. With pastry blender or 2 knives, scissor fashion, cut shortening into flour mixture until like corn meal. Add egg, then enough milk to make easily handled dough. Roll or pat dough into 1/2”-thick round, to fit greased 9” layer pan. Bake 15 to 20 min., or until done.

To serve: Split hot shortcake; butter well; fill with some of strawberries. Top with rest of berries and ice cream. Garnish with whole strawberries.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Individual Strawberry Shortcakes: Roll or pat dough ½” thick; cut into 3” rounds. Place 1” apart on baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 min., or until done. Serve as above, using 1 cup whipped cream instead of ice cream.

Heart Strawberry Shortcakes: Form dough into 7” circle; cut into 6 wedges; shape each into heart. Bake 15 min. at 400°F. Meanwhile, place 1 3-oz. pkg. soft cream cheese in bowl; add ½ cup heavy cream; stir until blended. Stir in another ½ cup heavy cream. To serve, split, then butter, hot shortcakes; spoon some of berries between halves. Top with berries and pass cream.
Makes 6 servings.