This recipe makes 4 large or 6 small strawberry, cream, and blueberry shortcakes. 
By whipping mascarpone cheese with the whipping cream, it will hold up longer and have a wonderful creamy texture. If you don’t have mascarpone, you can also substitute softened cream cheese.
Shortcut: If you don’t have time to make the shortcake, you can use store-bought pound cake or sponge cake.
Shortcake
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus additional butter for the pan
1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces (if you don’t want to use shortening, substitute 1 Tbsp. butter, for a total of 3 Tbsp. butter)
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
Cream for brushing the tops of the shortcakes
Sanding, or shimmering, sugar to sprinkle on top
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup (4 oz.) marscapone cheese
4 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Fruit Filling
1 qt. strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 pint blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier (optional)
Instructions
Fruit Filling
- Combine the strawberries, blueberries, sugar, and Grand Marnier (optional) in a bowl. Stir gently to combine.
- Refrigerate the fruit until ready to use.
Shortcakes
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Butter the bottom of a baking pan (e.g., a pie pan or 8 inch to 9 inch square pan)
- Place 1 cup of flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine.
- Add 2 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening (or 3 Tbsp. butter) to the food processor. Pulse a few times (8-12 short pulses) to create a coarse mixture.
- With the food processor running, slowly add the buttermilk. Once the buttermilk is added, the mixture will be ready. Do not over mix. The dough will be fairly wet.
- Transfer spoonfuls of dough from the food processor directly onto the buttered pan leaving small gaps (about 1/2 inch) between the shortcakes. This recipe will make 4 large or 6 small shortcakes.
- Brush the tops of the shortcakes with cream. Then sprinkle them with sanding sugar.
- Bake the shortcakes for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown. When the shortcakes bake, they will rise together and end up touching.
- Let the shortcakes cool. Then using a serrated knife slice them in half horizontally.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- In a mixing bowl, combine the whipping cream, mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, mix the cream mixture until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Cover and refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to use.
Assembling the Shortcakes
- Place the bottom half of a shortcake on a plate.
- Top it with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Spoon some of the fruit mixture over the cream.
- Top the fruit with another dollop of whipped cream and then another spoonful of fruit.
- Place the top half of the shortcake on top.
© 2015 FoodieOasis
