XXI. Strawberry Desserts

Bettina’s Strawberry Shortcake (Four portions)

(The joy of the strawberry season.)

One and one-half cups flour
Three level teaspoons baking-powder
One-fourth level teaspoon salt
Three level tablespoons lard
One-half cup milk
Two cups strawberries
One-half cup sugar

Mix and sift the flour, baking-powder and salt. Cut in the lard with a knife. Slowly add the milk until a soft dough is formed. Toss upon a floured board. Pat to the thickness of one inch. Cut out with a large cooky cutter. Place side by side on a tin pan. Bake in a moderate oven for twelve minutes. Split and arrange the berries, mixed with the sugar, on top and between the shortcakes. Serve with cream.

Cottage Pudding with Strawberry Sauce

(You’ll like it if you like cottage puddings.)

See Index for Cottage Pudding recipe.

Strawberry Sauce (Four portions)

One cup sugar
Two level tablespoons flour
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
One cup water
Two tablespoons lemon juice
One cup crushed strawberries

Mix the sugar, flour and salt. Add the water and cook for two minutes. Add the lemon juice and strawberries and cook for three minutes. Serve warm or cold on cottage pudding.

Strawberry Bavarian Cream (Four portions)

(An airy-fairy dish that makes a good dessert for a “pink luncheon.”)

Two level tablespoons granulated gelatin
One-third cup cold water
One cup strawberry juice and pulp, mixed
One-half cup sugar
One tablespoon lemon juice
Two egg whites

Soak the gelatin in cold water for five minutes. Place in a pan of hot water and stir until dissolved. Add the sugar and lemon juice and when well dissolved add the strawberries. Allow partially to congeal and then beat until frothy. Add the egg whites, stiffly beaten. Beat the whole mixture until stiff. Pile in glass serving cups. Set in a cold place for one hour or more. Serve with whipped cream.

Strawberry Cases (Six portions)

(A delicious strawberry recipe.)

Six pie-shells, baked in muffin pans
Three cups fresh strawberries
One-half cup powdered sugar
One and one-half cups whipped cream
Four level tablespoons sugar
One teaspoon vanilla

Arrange the pie-shells on serving plates. Mix the strawberries and powdered sugar and fill the cases with them. Mix the whipped cream, sugar and vanilla. Pile on top the strawberries. Serve.

Strawberry Cottage Pudding (Four portions)

(Unusual and very good.)

Three level tablespoons butter
One-half cup sugar
One teaspoon vanilla
One-half cup milk
One egg
One and one-half cups flour
Two level teaspoons baking-powder
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
One cup fresh or canned strawberries

Cream the butter and sugar, add the vanilla, milk and egg. Beat for one minute. Add the flour, baking-powder and salt, mixed and sifted. Beat for two minutes. Add the strawberries. Fill greased muffin pans half full. Bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. Serve with plain or whipped cream.

Strawberry Fluff (Four portions)

(A very popular light dessert.)

Two cups strawberries
One-third cup sugar
One cup diced marshmallows
One cup whipped cream
One teaspoon vanilla

Mix all the ingredients and pile in glass sherbet cups. Set in a cold place an hour and serve at once.

Strawberry Fruit Dessert (Four portions)

(A fruit mixture that many people like.)

One cup diced oranges
One cup diced pineapple
One cup strawberries
Two tablespoons lemon juice
One-third cup sugar

Mix all the ingredients and place in a very cold place for twenty minutes or more. Serve in glass serving cups.

Strawberry Shortcake

(The “cake strawberry-shortcake.” Bettina doesn’t think it compares with the other kind, but everybody to his own taste!)

Three level tablespoons butter
One-half cup sugar
One egg, well beaten
One teaspoon vanilla
One-half cup milk
One and one-half cups flour
Three level teaspoons baking-powder
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
Two cups strawberries
One-third cup sugar

Cream the butter, add the sugar and egg and beat for two minutes. Add the vanilla, and the flour, baking-powder and salt, mixed and sifted. Beat for two minutes. Pour the batter into two small layer-cake pans, lined with waxed paper. Bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. Place the strawberries, mixed with the sugar, between the two layers and on the top layer. Serve with cream.

Strawberry Sponge Cake (Six portions)

(A good “party luncheon” dessert)

Six small sponge cakes
Two cups strawberries
One-third cup sugar
One and one-half cups whipped cream
Three level tablespoons sugar
One teaspoon vanilla

Cut the sponge cakes in halves. Mix the strawberries and one-third cup of sugar. Place portions of the strawberries between and on top of the cut sponge cakes. Mix the whipped cream, sugar and vanilla. Pile on top of the prepared sponge cakes and serve at once.

Black and white illustration of whip desserts served on a table