Red, White and Blue Berry Shortcake

Author: Allen Jones and Huey Hooks, winners, Dutch Oven World Champion Cook-Off
E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 

Ingredients

14-inch Dutch oven
8-inch Dutch oven

Shortcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
4 ounces almost paste, crumbled
4 tablespoons butter, chilled and chopped
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Strawberries (Red Ingredients):
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 tablespoons sugar

Blueberry Sauce (Blue Ingredients):
3 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
2 teaspoons water

Whipped Cream (White Ingredients):
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon real vanilla

Preheat Dutch oven and place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom.

For Shortcakes: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and almond paste. Cut in butter with fingers until you have course crumbles. Gently fold in buttermilk until just combined.
Spoon the dough onto the parchment paper in 6 equal mounds. Top with a heaping pinch of chopped almonds and press into the batter.
Put lid on the oven and place over approximately 10 briquettes. Place approximately 20 briquettes on the lid around the outer rim. Bake 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.
Slice open warm shortcakes with a serrated knife.

For Strawberries: Combine strawberries and sugar in a bowl and mash lightly with a fork. Cover and chill.

For Blueberry Sauce: Heat water, sugar and 2 cups blueberries in an 8-inch Dutch oven until soft and juicy, stirring constantly. Add remaining blueberries and chill.

For Whipped Cream: Beat the chilled cream in a chilled bowl until it holds soft peaks. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until peaks form again. Hold chilled.


Directions

To assemble: Place bottom of shortcake on plate. Spoon over blueberry mixture, then strawberry mixture and a few dollops of the cream. Top with the other half of shortcake. Add more blueberries, strawberries and cream. Garnish with fresh berries.