APRIL/MAY 2019 • COOK’S COUNTRY 23STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE TRIFLE
Serves 12
We call for a 3½ -quart trifl e dish for
this recipe; however, a 4-quart bowl
can be used in its place. Individual
trifl es can also be made in twelve 1-cup
jars or cups.
PASTRY CREAM
5 large egg yolks
½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
Pinch table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into 4 pieces and chilled
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
BISCUITS
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ cup whole milk, chilled
½ cup heavy cream, chilled
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
STRAWBERRIES
3 pounds strawberries
½ cup sugar
¼ cup Grand Marnier
Pinch table salt
WHIPPED CREAM
1½ cups heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- FOR THE PASTRY CREAM:
Whisk egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar,
and cornstarch in medium bowl until
mixture is pale yellow and thick, about
1 minute; set aside. Combine milk, salt,
and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in
medium saucepan and bring to simmer
over medium heat, stirring occasionally
to dissolve sugar.- Gradually whisk half of milk
mixture into yolk mixture to temper.
Return milk-yolk mixture to saucepan.
Return to simmer over medium heat
and cook, whisking constantly, until
mixture is thickened and 3 or 4 bubbles
burst on surface, about 3 minutes.
Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla.
Transfer mixture to clean bowl, press
parchment paper directly onto surface,
and refrigerate until set, at least
3 hours. - FOR THE BISCUITS: Meanwhile,
adjust oven rack to middle position and
heat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking
sheet with parchment. Whisk fl our,
baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and
salt together in large bowl. Stir milk,
cream, and melted butter together in
small bowl (butter will form clumps). - Add dairy mixture to fl our mixture
and stir with rubber spatula until just
combined. Using greased ¼-cup dry
measuring cup, drop 12 scant scoops
of batter 1½ inches apart on pre-
pared sheet. Bake until biscuit tops
are golden brown, about 12 minutes,
rotating sheet halfway through baking.
Transfer biscuits to wire rack and let
cool completely, about 20 minutes. - FOR THE STRAWBERRIES:
Set aside 6 strawberries. Hull remain-
ing strawberries and cut into ½-inch
pieces. Combine cut strawberries,
sugar, Grand Marnier, and salt in large
bowl. Let sit at room temperature for
30 minutes. - FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
Using stand mixer fi tted with whisk
attachment, whip cream, sugar, and
vanilla on low speed until foamy, about
1 minute. Increase speed to high and
whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 min-
utes. Refrigerate until ready to use.
7. Drain strawberries in colander set
in bowl, reserving all juice. Whisk
chilled pastry cream to recombine.
Break 4 biscuits into 1-inch pieces
and arrange on bottom of 3½ -quart
trifl e dish. Pour one-third of reserved
strawberry juice over biscuits. Top with
one-third of strawberries, followed by
one-third of pastry cream. Spread 1 cup
whipped cream evenly over pastry
cream. Repeat layers twice. Cover dish
with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at
least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Hull re-
served strawberries and slice thin, then
shingle in center of trifl e. Serve.
Four Steps to Perfect Pastry Cream
- Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in
bowl until mixture is pale yellow and thick.
2. Bring milk, salt, and remaining sugar to
simmer in saucepan, stirring occasionally
to dissolve sugar.
3. Gradually whisk half of milk mixture
into yolk mixture to temper.
4. Simmer milk-yolk mixture, whisking
constantly, until thickened, then whisk in
butter and vanilla off heat.
Soaking It Up
We crumble our easy homemade
biscuits and moisten them with
the fl avorful juice extracted from
the macerated
strawberries.
The amount of
liquid you get
from the 3 pounds
of berries in this
recipe will vary;
we got anywhere
from 1⁄2 cup to 1 cup. The juice gets
divided in thirds and poured over
each layer of biscuits.Don’t want to
go big? Make
individual trifles
in 1-cup dishes.