Strawberry Shortcake

This s a lighter version of the traditional Strawberry Shortcake. I liked the use of a strawberry sauce.  Use a vanilla bean like the recipe suggests in the sauce…it is so much better than vanilla extract.  I used Turbinado sugar instead of brown sugar.  Based on Food & Drink Early Summer 2014 recipe.

SHORTCAKE
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1/3 cup loosely packed Turbinado sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Finely grated rind of 1 orange
1 tbsp demerara sugar
Icing sugar for dusting

WARM STRAWBERRY SAUCE
500g fresh strawberries, quartered
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
1/2 vanilla bean
1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tsp cold water
1 tsp lemon juice

WHIPPED CREAM AND STRAWBERRIES
1 cup whipping sugar
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
500 g fresh strawberries, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line the bottom of an 8 inch square cake pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.
2. Combine all purpose and cake flours, turbinado sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, whipping cream, egg, vanilla and grated orange rind. Make a well in the centre of the flour ingredients and pour in the milk/cream mixture.  Fold together gently with a rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened.  The mixture will look a little shaggy.
5. Turn the mixture into the prepared cake pan and level the top with an off set metal spatula or the back of a spoon.  Sprinkle the top with the demerara sugar.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and the edges just start to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Allow to cool in the pan on a rack.
7. Invert the cake out of the pan onto a cutting board and peel off paper.  Turn the cake right side up.  Trim the edges, then cut into 1 1/4 inch squares.  Store the squares in a sealed container until serving.  The cake is best the same day but can be made up to 1 day ahead.
8. For the strawberry sauce combine the strawberries, sugar and water in a medium saucepan.  Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the black seeds into the strawberry mixture.  Add the vanilla pod to the pot.
9. Place the pot over low-medium heat and cook until the berries begin to release their juices.  Toss gently and continue cooking until the dissolved cornstarch and bring to a boil.  Cook just until the juices have thickened.  Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and discard vanilla pod.  (The sauce can be made ahead and gently reheated before serving.)
10. Whip together the cream, sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks.  (Use immediately or refrigerate covered for up to 2 hours.  If necessary lightly re-whip before using)
11. To serve, dust the cake squares with icing sugar.  Place about 2 tbsp of warm strawberry sauce on each plate.  Top with 3 cake squares per serving.  Distribute fresh strawberry slices on each plate, and top with a dollop of whipped cream.  

Serves 12