SHORTCAKE
450 g Plain Flour } Sieved
225 g Semolina } Together
450 g Butter
225 g Caster Sugar; (infused with
; vanilla)
FILLING
675 g Ripe Strawberries; (reserve
-9 perfect
; ones for garnish)
290 ml Double Cream
3 lg Red Roses from old fashioned
-scented; (not sprayed with
; roses, insecticide)
1 tb Icing Sugar
1/2 ts Rose Water
2 ts Lemon Juice
GARNISH
2 Rose Buds
1 Egg White; (lightly beaten)
Caster Sugar in a Fine
-Dredger
1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually work in the flour and semolina. You will have to use your hand
to blend in the last bits into a dough.
3. Knead lightly until smooth.
4. Divide into 2 pieces and roll out each piece carefully onto a floured
surface. This is a very fragile dough. Using a fluted pastry cutter, cut
out 16 circles.
5. Lift onto greased and floured baking sheets and put in refrigerator to
rest and chill.
6. Prepare rose cream. Put the lemon juice into a basin. Crush scented rose
petals in your hand and drop them into the lemon juice, turning them over
gently to keep the colour fresh. Add cream to the whole lot, together with
the icing sugar and rose water. Stir all together and leave to infuse for
30 minutes.
7. Bake the shortcakes until tinged golden only. Remove onto cooling trays
with a palette knife. They will turn crisp as they cool.
8. Sieve the cream, discarding the petals. Whisk until it is firm. Taste.
9. Spread each shortcake with cream, then sliced strawberries, then top
with the second shortcake. Dredge with wonder dust.
10. Garnish with crystallised rose petals and some tiny mint leaves.
Yields
8 servings