One thing about the California summers is we always get a great crop of strawberries. I like to buy mine at our farmer’s market from Bob the Strawberry Man, you can read more about Bob here~Strawberry Bob We are also lucky to have a variety of rural strawberry stands dotted around the foothills with endless supplies of juicy red berries.
I know you just one to pick one up and eat it.
Local strawberry stand
This last week was another hot one for NorCal with temperatures up to 108 again. This means no baking for me. But, I must still eat, and with that kind of temperature I want something cool. One day while standing almost inside my freezer for relief I spotted some left over pound cake. Yes, I save bits and pieces of cakes from other projects. Today I am thinking that was a genius move, because now I have the makings for a dessert.
California Strawberries
Hmmm, cake, strawberries and oh, look what else I found; whipping cream. This is the making for a deconstructed strawberry shortcake. No, this isn’t the traditional strawberry shortcake, but trust me, we found this dessert to be a winner.
Some of my strawberries were getting a bit overripe, still good, but using them for a strawberry sauce put them to good use. Making the sauce is quick and easy and the first thing you want to make. Just slice your berries, add sugar, cornstarch, lime zest and nutmeg then mash and bring to a simmer to thicken.
While the sauce is cooling cut your cake into small cubes, cut up some strawberries and whip the cream. So what can you use if you don’t have left over cake hiding in your freezer, try using an angel food cake it would be just as yummy.
Using a pound cake for my shortcake.
Let’s assemble our dessert. I’m using my vintage martini glasses, they are a perfect size for a dessert and it gives me a reason to use them. Fill the bottom of the glass with a couple of tablespoons of your cooled strawberry sauce, then alternate adding the cake cubes and strawberries. Top with more strawberry sauce and a nice big dollop of the strawberry whipped cream and there you go; a deconstructed strawberry shortcake.
Don’t forget to add the strawberry whipped cream to the top because whipped cream makes everything extra yummy.
I know what you are thinking, you really want one of these desserts. I love that this strawberry shortcake is so quick to put together and they look so elegant in my martini glasses.
Here’s the recipe for the strawberry sauce. Remember, any leftover sauce can be used for your other desserts or on top of pancakes in the morning.
Strawberry Shortcake in a Glass
Ingredients
- Strawberry Sauce
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tbls cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. lime zest
- pinch of nutmeg
- 2 cups strawberries - sliced
- Strawberry Whipped Cream
- 1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbls cooled strawberry sauce
- Pieces of cake - your choice have fun and be creative
Instructions
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For the sauce:
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Combine the sugar, cornstarch, lime zest and nutmeg in a small sauce pan.
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Add the strawberries and mash with a potato masher.
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Bring the strawberries to a simmer over medium heat; stir until thickened
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Remove from heat and cool
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For the strawberry whipped cream
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Pour the whipping cream into a bowl and beat until firm peaks.
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Add 2 tbls of cooled strawberry sauce and whip to combine
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Dishing up the shortcake
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Select a small cup or bowl
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Put 1 - 2 tbls of the cooled strawberry sauce in the bottom of a cup/bowl
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Alternately add sliced strawberries and cake pieces
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Top with 1 - 2 tbls of cooled strawberry sauce
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Top your dessert with a large dollop of strawberry whipped cream
I hope you are having a wonderful summer and I’m leaving this post with more pictures of strawberries because I think they are so beautiful.
Enjoy
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