Name: Brown-Sugar Berry Shortcakes
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 6 cups mixed berries (see How To Prepare Berries below); 4౼6 tablespoons packed (1¾౼2⅔ ounces/50-75 grams) light brown sugar; 2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour; 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon table salt; 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for brushing on shortcakes); 1 large egg; 1/2 cup sour cream; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/4 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar; fresh strawberries —Hulled, halved, and sliced; fresh raspberries —Whole; fresh blackberries —Halved; fresh blueberries —Whole; currants —Whole

Brown-Sugar Berry Shortcakes

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 11, 2011

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

Fruit

6 cups mixed berries (see How To Prepare Berries below)4౼6 tablespoons packed (1¾౼2⅔ ounces/50-75 grams) light brown sugar

Shortcakes

2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon table salt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for brushing on shortcakes)1 large egg ½ cup sour cream 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Brown-Sugar Cream Topping

1 cup heavy cream ¼ cup sour cream ¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar

How to Prepare Berries

fresh strawberries —Hulled, halved, and slicedfresh raspberries —Wholefresh blackberries —Halvedfresh blueberries —Wholecurrants —Whole

Before You Begin

Depending on the sweetness of the berries, you may have to use more or less brown sugar. If you don’t have a large ice cream scoop, divide the dough into six equal portions and use your hands to form shortcakes in a rough semispherical shape.

Instructions

For the fruit: Crush 2 cups berries and brown sugar in large bowl with potato masher. Fold in remaining 4 cups berries and let sit at room temperature until sugar has dissolved and berries are juicy, about 30 minutes.

For the shortcakes: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pulse flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor until no lumps of sugar remain. Scatter chilled butter pieces over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 7 pulses. Transfer to large bowl.

Whisk egg and sour cream together in small bowl. Stir into flour mixture with rubber spatula until large clumps form. Using hands, knead lightly until dough comes together and no dry flecks of flour remain.

Using a large (#10) ice cream scoop, scoop 6 dough rounds onto baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. Cool shortcakes on baking sheet 10 minutes. (Cooled shortcakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept on counter for up to 24 hours.)

For the topping: With electric mixer, beat heavy cream, sour cream, and brown sugar to stiff peaks. Split each shortcake in half using serrated knife and place bottoms on individual plates. Spoon portion of fruit over bottoms, top with whipped cream, and cap with shortcake tops. Serve.

Shortcakes by Hand: To make shortcakes without a food processor, freeze the stick of butter until hard and then grate it into the dry ingredients using the large holes of a box grater. Toss gently to distribute the butter evenly and proceed with the recipe.