Peach Topping For Shortcake Recipes

PEACH SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• For the marinated peaches: Mix together the granulated sugar, orange liqueur, basil and orange zest in a bowl. Add the peaches and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• For the sweet biscuits: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until it is incorporated. Mix the buttermilk and vanilla together in a small pitcher. Slowly add the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, stirring the contents of the bowl as you do so, until just combined.
• Form 6 biscuits and place them into a cast-iron skillet. Sprinkle the tops generously with coarse sugar. Bake until golden brown, 24 to 26 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• For the whipped cream: Using an electric mixer, whisk together the heavy cream and granulated sugar until soft peaks form.
• To serve, halve the biscuits, then place the bottom halves on serving plates. Top with the whipped cream and marinated peaches. Rest the biscuit tops on the side so the filling is visible. Garnish with torn basil.

PEACHES WITH SHORTCAKE TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine peaches, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in large bowl; toss to blend well. Transfer filling to 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish.
• Sift flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Whisk cream, egg and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Add cream mixture to flour mixture, stirring until very soft dough forms. Using 1/4-cup measure, drop dough atop filling in 9 mounds, spacing apart. Brush mounds with melted butter. Blend remaining 1 tablespoon sugar with cinnamon in small cup; sprinkle over mounds.
• Bake dessert until filling bubbles and topping is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

SOUTHERN PEACH SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9-inch cast iron skillet and set aside. Reserve remaining butter.
• Combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup cold butter with a pastry knife until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour in milk and stir just until the dough starts to come together.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Divide ball in half and lightly knead each half. Gently roll each half into a 9-inch circle.
• Place 1 dough circle into the prepared skillet, and dot with reserved butter. Place second dough circle on top of the butter pieces, and place the skillet in the center of the preheated oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is lightly browned, 22 to 25 minutes.
• While the shortcake is baking, prepare peaches. Slice 1 peach, toss with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and set aside. Chop the remaining peaches, yielding about 4 cups, and toss with remaining lemon juice.
• Turn shortcake out onto a rack to slightly cool, about 5 minutes. Slice in half crosswise, using the edge of the second layer as a guide. Place bottom half on a serving plate, cut side up.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup white sugar on a plate and lightly mash 2 cups of peaches into the sugar. Spread out mashed peaches and sugar over the shortcake layer on the serving plate. Cover mashed peaches with the second shortcake layer, cut side up.
• Toss remaining chopped peaches with remaining sugar and distribute on top of the second layer. Toss peach slices in any remaining juice, and place in a decorative pattern on top of the shortcake.

GINGER-PEACH SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine peach slices and 1/4 cup sugar; cover and refrigerate. Line a greased 9-in. square baking pan with waxed paper; set aside. For topping, combine flour and brown sugar in a small bowl; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in ginger if desired; set aside., For shortcake, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Spread in prepared pan. Sprinkle with reserved topping., Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Gently peel off waxed paper. Cool crumb side up on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature., Just before serving, beat cream in a small mixing bowl until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Cut cake into nine squares. Split each square horizontally. Place bottom half on serving plate; top with 1/4 cup peach slices. Top with top of shortcake, peaches and whipped cream.

PEACH SHORTCAKE TOWERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, nuts, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup cream, egg, 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla until slightly thickened. Stir into dry ingredients until mixture forms a ball, adding cold water if necessary., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Roll out to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut into three 3-1/2-in. circles, three 2-3/4-in. circles and six 1-1/4-in. circles. Place on ungreased baking sheets., Brush the tops with remaining cream. Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown., In a large bowl, combine the peaches and 5-7 tablespoons of sugar. Split the large and medium biscuits in half horizontally. Spoon a few peach slices on large biscuit halves; dollop with whipped topping. Top each with a medium biscuit half, remaining peaches and whipped topping and a small biscuit.

PEACH MELBA SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• For cakes:
• Preheat oven to 350#176;F. Brush six 4-inch-diameter tartlet pans with 1 1/8-inch-high sides and removable bottoms* with melted butter. Place pans on baking sheet. Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and sugar in large bowl until light. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt over mixture in bowl. Mix slightly, then add buttermilk; beat until combined. Divide batter among prepared pans (about scant 1/2 cup each).
• Bake cakes until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer pans to rack; cool 5 minutes. Push up bottoms of pans to release cakes. Cool cakes on rack.
• For sauce and topping:
• Puree thawed raspberries with their syrup in processor. Strain through sieve set over bowl, pressing on solids to extract liquid. (Cakes and berry sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover cakes and store at room temperature. Cover sauce and chill.)
• Combine peaches, fresh raspberries and 4 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl; toss to blend. Let stand until juices form, about 30 minutes.
• Beat cream, vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until stiff peaks form.
• Using serrated knife, cut cakes in half horizontally. Lightly sift powdered sugar over cake tops. Place 1 cake bottom on each of 6 plates. Top each with peach mixture, dividing equally. Spoon cream atop each. Cover with cake tops. Spoon raspberry sauce around cakes.
• *Tartlet pans are available at many cake and candy supply stores or by mail from Jane's Cakes and Chocolates, 2331 Honolulu Avenue, Montrose, CA 91020; 818-957-2511 or 800-262-7630.

PEACH SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice peaches; sprinkle with kirsch or schnapps, if desired, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the rest of the dry ingredients. Add butter; process with on-off pulses until mixture resembles coarse meal. While pulsing, slowly add enough cream or milk until dough just comes together.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured board, and knead once or twice. Pat into a 3/4-inch-thick square. Trim edges, and cut into four squares. Brush with additional cream or milk; sprinkle with sugar.
• Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet; bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack, and allow to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, whip the cream: In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form; set aside. Split cakes horizontally. Place bottom halves on dessert plates, and top with peaches and vanilla whipped cream. Cover with top halves of shortcakes, and serve.

PEACHES 'N CREAM SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
• Sift flour, 4 1/2 teaspoons sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Rub in butter with your fingers until mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in 1/2 cup milk and mix into a soft dough.
• Divide dough into 4 equal parts and flatten each part into a 2-inch diameter disc. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with 1 tablespoon milk.
• Mix remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the top of each biscuit with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until biscuits begin to brown on the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, whisk water, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sliced peaches and cook until sauce begins to thicken, stirring occasionally to coat all of the peaches. Remove from heat and cool.
• Whip heavy cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form.
• Cut each biscuit in half horizontally. Place the bottoms on a serving plate. Add a dollop of whipped cream, top with 1/4 of the peaches, another dollop of whipped cream, and the biscuit top. Serve immediately.