My dad raised me right — on cream with strawberry shortcake. He’d buy little packaged flat cakes that were really a sponge for cream and sugar- steeped strawberries. He didn’t bother with the fluffy whipped stuff. We poured heavy cream straight on. Strawberry cream soup is what we should have called it.
In fact, he was quite liberal with his cream pouring. I thought nothing of a dash of cream on our morning cereal, for instance. And that’s just for starters.
Like my dad’s shortcake, this shortcake is all about the cream — lilikoi cream. It is what dreams are made of. The recipe is actually for a mousselike dessert; I got it from a good friend who wrote a food blog for years.
You don’t need all the cream this recipe makes, but you will want it. I suggest you siphon off a bowl for yourself, hide it in a back spot of the fridge and eat it when everyone else is asleep. Otherwise, you will need to fight them off.
Since the dessert should be served with cold lilikoi cream and warm shortcake, make the cream well ahead so it has time to chill.
Mango Shortcake With Lilikoi Cream
- 2 cups mangoes, cubed
- >> Lilikoi cream:
- 2 cups heavy cream, cold
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup lilikoi puree
- >> Shortcake:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 scant teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
To prepare cream: Whip cream until it begins to develop soft, billowy peaks, about 2 minutes at medium-high speed if using an electric mixer. Pour in condensed milk and beat another minute. Add the lilikoi puree and beat on high for about 1 minute until thick and creamy.
Remove to a container and chill. While you can consume it right away, it sets over several hours. By the next day it will be easy to dollop. I dare you to wait that long.
To prepare cake: Place rack in middle of oven and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line sheet pan with parchment paper.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Incorporate cream gradually: Add 1/2 cup and stir slightly, add another 1/2 cup and stir again, then the last 1/2 cup, stirring just until it comes together. Do not over-mix!
Separate dough into 6 pieces and mold into biscuit shapes. They should be tall and thick. (Cakes will spread a bit as they cook.) Bake 15-17 minutes or until tops are barely golden brown.
Split shortcakes and pile on mangoes and lilikoi cream. Serve while shortcakes are hot and cream is cold. Serves 6.
Nutritional information unavailable.
Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at thelittlefoodie.com. Her column runs on the last Wednesday of the month. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
