(Sweet and Quick) Strawberry Shortcake

STORY

I love strawberries, but it takes me forever to finish a pint, and by the end of the week, my strawberries are mush. They, bless their little red hearts, are a fruit that’s meant to be eaten quickly (or frozen immediately). So, when I don’t feel like having strawberries in my yogurt for breakfast, I use them in simple, but decadent desserts instead. This recipe calls for store-bought pound cake (this can be purchased by the slice or you can slice a whole cake and freeze for later use), which makes it a great choice if you’re busy, and just want to satisfy your sweet tooth. And the pairing of creamy whipped cream, coupled with sweet and tart berries, makes this recipe one you just might want to share with your honey.

RECIPE

• Prep Time: ~10 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes

TOOLS

• chef’s knife
• medium mixing bowl (for mixing strawberries)
• small mixing bowl (for whipping cream)
• small whisk or hand mixer
• shallow bowl or plate (for stacking your gorgeous dessert)
• 2 tablespoons

INGREDIENTS

1 handful of strawberries, freshly washed

2 tbsp of Demerara sugar (or your favorite type of granulated sugar)

1 tsp of balsamic vinegar (I know it seems strange in here, but trust me on this one – it’s good!)

1 tsp of water

¼ cup of cold heavy cream

¼ tsp of pure vanilla extract (Do not use imitation vanilla! Buy the Madagascar Bourbon from Nielsen Massey, you’ll be glad you did)

1 slice of pound cake

METHOD

1. Slice strawberries removing the stems and caps and pour them into a bowl.
2. Add 1 tbsp of Demerara (or granulated) sugar leaving the remaining tbsp of sugar for the whipped cream.
3. Add 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp of water to the strawberries and sugar, and mix until sugar is dissolved and strawberries are coated with a light syrup.
4. While strawberries are soaking up the syrup, pour ¼ cup of heavy cream into a small mixing bowl.
5. Add 1 tbsp of sugar and ¼ tsp of pure vanilla extract to the heavy cream.
6. Whisk the heavy cream into submission (this will take some muscle and a bit of patience if you’re using a whisk. About 5 – 6 minutes).
7. Once the cream is whipped, slice the crust off of your pound cake and then carefully slice the cake in half through the middle of the cake.
8. Put one slice of the cake at the bottom of a plate or bowl, add a dollop of whipped cream using one spoon, and spread the strawberries over the whipped cream using another spoon.
9. Put the second slice of cake over the strawberries and another dollop of whipped cream followed by more strawberries.
10. Spread remaining strawberries around the bowl, and top the dessert with remaining whipped cream.
11. Now eat your yummy creation.

(Photo Credit: Matthew G. Piccolo)