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Mary's Italian strawberry shortcake
Mary's Strawberry Shortcake (using sponge cake, topped with almond-flavored whipping cream)
Originated from: Italy and North America
Occasion: Any time & special times
Contributed by: Mary Melfi

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Ingredients

For VERSION I, using Italian sponge cake layers
5 extra large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 cup self-rising cake flour

For layering
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons icing sugar
1 tablespoon almond extract

For decoration
about 1/3 cup lightly roasted almond flakes
about 2 cups fresh strawberries

Equipment needed
Two well-greased 9-inch cake pans in diameter, 1 1/2-inch deep

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*For VERSION II, using Southern Italian orange cake layers
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Magic baking powder
1/3 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
Zest of 1 small orange, finely grated and mixed with 2 teaspoons sugar

For layering
2 cups whipping cream
6 tablespoons icing sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons almond extract

For decoration
about 1/2 cup lightly roasted almond flakes
about 3 cups fresh strawberries

Equipment needed: 3 or 4 well-greased 9-inch cake pans in diameter, 1 1/2-inch deep

*Version II is Mary's personal favorite as it is easier to do.



Directions

For Version I, using Italian Sponge Cake

Separate egg whites from egg yolks.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Put aside.

In a clean bowl, beat egg yolks.

Add sugar.

Cream egg yolks and sugar until creamy (about 4 minutes).

Add almond extract and mix well.

Add lemon juice and mix well.

Add finely grated orange zest and mix well.

Slowly fold in cake flour (using a spatula for mixing) -- about 1/4 cup at a time.

Place cake batter in 2 separate well-greased 9-inch cake pans.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until ready -- about 25 minutes.

Remove and cool.

If the cake is not to be served on the same day, remove from pans, wrap with plastic wrap and place in an appropriate container.

Decorate the cake about an hour prior to serving (Not before as the strawberries are only good fresh).



For layering

Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

Add 3 tablespoons icing sugar and beat for a few more seconds.

Add almond extract and beat for a few more seconds.



For decoration

Clean and hull the strawberries.

Divide the strawberries into two portions, one larger than the other.

Slice the smaller portion (about 1/2 cup). Reserve.



To decorate the cake

The decoration should be done an hour or two before serving as the strawberries are best fresh.

If the tops of the cakes have risen in the middle, make them even, otherwise keep them as they are.

Place one of the cakes on a decorative platter.

Place whipping cream mixture on the top of the cake, and then add sliced strawberries.

Place the second cake on the first cake.

Coat the sides of the two-layered cake with some of the whipping cream mixture, add the rest to the top.

Decorate with fresh strawberries.

Add some lightly roasted almond flakes round the sides of the cake, and in between the strawberries.

Best served as soon as possible (Keep in the fridge till needed).



For VERSION II, using Southern Italian Orange Cake*



o Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

o Grease four 9-inch cake pans (Using 4 cake pans will ensure that one gets very thin cake layers, a must when making this style of cake; alternatively one can use 3 or even 2 cake pans but then one will have to slice the cake to make it into thin layers, and this is not easy to do unless one has a certain amount of skill as a baker.).

o Using an electric beater, beat eggs and sugar until creamy (about 4 minutes).

o Add vegetable oil. Mix well.

o Add orange juice.

o Add flour and mix well.

o Add Magic baking powder, mix well.

o Mix finely grated orange zest with 2 teaspoons sugar.

o Using a spatula mix orange zest with the batter.

o Pour batter in greased tube pan.

o Bake until cake is done -- about 20 to 25 minutes (depends on the number of cake pans used as well as the types of pans used etc.).

Remove and cool.

If the cake is not to be served on the same day, remove from pans, wrap with plastic wrap and place in an appropriate container.

Decorate the cake about an hour prior to serving (Not before as the strawberries are only good fresh).



For layering

Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

Add icing sugar and beat for a few more seconds.

Add almond extract and beat for a few more seconds.



For decoration

Clean and hull the strawberries.

Divide the strawberries into two portions, one larger than the other.

Slice the smaller portion. Reserve.



To decorate the cake

The decoration should be done an hour or two before serving as the strawberries are best fresh.

If the tops of the cakes have risen in the middle, make them even, otherwise keep them as they are.

Place one of the cakes on a decorative platter.

Place whipping cream mixture on the top of the cake, and then add sliced strawberries.

Place the second cake on the first cake.

Repeat the process until all the cakes are used (One doesn't necessarily have to use all the cakes one has baked -- the height of the cake will depend on the home cook's personal preference.).

Coat the sides of the layered cake with some of the whipping cream mixture, add the rest to the top.

Decorate with fresh strawberries.

Add some lightly roasted almond flakes round the sides of the cake, and in between the strawberries.

Best served as soon as possible (Keep in the fridge till needed).



*Version II is Mary's personal favorite as it is easier to do.


Notes

Both versions of this cake are relatively easy to do. I had assumed one needed a sponge cake base for a Strawberry Shortcake, so I tried one out, but then I was told this isn't so. To make a long story short, I decided to make a Strawberry Shortcake using a Southern Italian orange cake as a base -- I liked the results very much. I thought I was being rather original but it turns out many people in my immediate family were doing the same thing. In any case, neither Version I or Version II in this entry is the classic way of doing a North American strawberry shortcake. North Americans generally don't add almond flavorings, nor do they use an Italian sponge cake base or a Southern-style Orange cake base. Still, as I liked the cakes I made and others did as well, I included the recipes in this entry. As noted Version II is my personal favorite as it does not require any separating of eggs, and it is more moist than Version I. However, Version II does produce a very tall cake, so one has to either cut down the proportions (use 2/3 thirds), or bake the batter in four (rather than 2) 9-inch cake pans. Whatever one does, as a home cook one can always change or adapt a recipe to suit one's own needs. If one runs a restaurant, then one has to stick to protocol, go by the book so to speak, but if one is a home cook, then one can simplify recipes. Cooking should be stress-free, and if it isn't, then one shouldn't be doing it. Easier said than done? No one has to cook to survive -- plenty of foods ready-made. And as for desserts, there is no reason to eat them let alone to make them, unless of course, pleasure is involved. For some peculiar reason I can't get any pleasure from consuming sweet stuff bought at a supermarket. Most of the stuff (And it is just stuff in my mind!) is far too sweet. And the list of chemicals that go into the stuff sold make me quite nauseous. O.K. now I'm just ranting and there is as much point in doing that, as there is in baking on a hot day and suffering the consequences. Better stop right now and get back to the point.... In my opinion what makes a strawberry shortcake special are the fresh strawberries -- it really doesn't matter what kind of base one uses. Basically you can call this cake a high-end "strawberry sandwich." Unfortunately fresh strawberries do add to the cost of the cake. I myself would only do this cake when the strawberries are in season and their price is low. I would never consider using frozen strawberries (Mushy inedible stuff!). Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts. As far as I know it's not a "traditional" Italian cake, but many Italians are now making it and loving it, so I gather it's becoming part of the modern Italian culinary landscape. Comments and photo: Mary Melfi.

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