June 2011 Strawberry Shortcake

Serves 6

Video available with GBG Magazine at

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcjQ7HsidPg

• SHORTCAKE
• 240g Unsalted Guernsey Dairy Butter
• 110g Icing Sugar
• 240g Plain Flour (sieved)
• 40g Rice Flour
• STRAWBERRIES
• 500g Strawberries
• 50g Icing Sugar
• 50ml Balsamic Vinegar
• Freshly Milled Black Peppercorns
• 100ml Strawberry Coulé
• 200ml Whipped Guernsey Dairy Cream
• 1 Vanilla Pod (split lenghtways)
• Sprigs of Freshly Picked Mint

To make the shortcake, beat together the unsalted butter and sugar until pale in colour, light and creamy in texture.

Sieve into this mixture the sieved flour together with the rice flour and set aside to rest for 30 minutes. (This paste can also rolled into a large sausage shape at this stage, wrapped in film and stored in the freezer for another day. Once removed from the freezer and allowed to thaw, you can simply slice rounds off ready to bake).

Roll the shortcake paste out onto a work top, lightly dusted with flour and cut out discs with a 10 cm pastry cutter. Place these shortcakes upon a baking sheet and bake @ 140 oC / 275 oF / gAS 1 for 30 – 35 minutes until light golden in colour.

Remove from baking tray and once cool set aside in a sealed container until ready to assemble.

Prepare the strawberries by washing and hulling them, cut the fruit into approx. 1 cm dice. Pat the fruit dry very gently with kitchen paper before placing upon a tray, dust them with a liberal drege of icing sugar and leave to macerate for half an hour or more at room temperature before assembling the dessert for serving.

To serve the shortcake, whip the Guernsey Dairy Cream together with the seeds of a vanilla pod. Assemble each shortcake with a filling sandwich style of macerated strawberries and cream.

Dust each top layer of shortcake with icing sugar. Pour onto your chosen plates a little strawberry coulé and decorate with a sprig of Fresh Guernsey mint.