Recipe for cooking cornmeal shortcakes

Recipes Made with other Beverages :: Cakes Made with Liqueurs

Cornmeal Shortcakes

Cornmeal Shortcakes
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, well chilled
    and cut into sm. pieces
2 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
    plus extra for the work surface
3/4 c. yellow cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 c. chilled buttermilk

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter a baking sheet.

In a food processor, combine the 2 1/4 c. flour, cornmeal, sugar and baking powder. Pulse to blend. Add the butter and process until a coarse meal forms. With the motor running, add buttermilk through the feed tube just until a crumbly dough forms.

Lightly flour the work surface. Turn the dough out and lightly knead and gather it into a soft ball. Roll the dough out into a 12 x 6-in. rectangle. Cut the dough into 8 equal squares. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them well apart. Bake until the shortcakes are crisp and golden and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 mins.. Remove from the pan. Use immediately.

Amaretto-Peach Shortcake
1 batch Cornmeal Shortcakes dough
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 c. chilled whipping cream
7 Tbsp. amaretto
1/4 c. unsalted butter
2 lb. ripe, juice peaches or nectarines,
    pitted and cut into eighths
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter a 10-in. glass pie plate.

Transfer shortcake dough to the prepared pie plate, shaping it into a round about 1 in. thick. Sprinkle the top of the shortcake dough with the white sugar and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 mins.. Let the shortcake cool in the pie plate on a rack for 10 mins..

Meanwhile, in a chilled bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Adding one Tbsp. at a time, beat 4 Tbsp. of the Amaretto into the cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a lrg. skillet over med.-low heat, melt butter. Stir in peaches, brown sugar, remaining 3 Tbsp. Amaretto and lemon juice. Cook, gently stirring once or twice, until the syrup is thick and the peaches are just warmed through, 3 to 5 mins..

Transfer the shortcake to a cutting board. Cut the shortcake in half horizontally. Carefully transfer the shortcake bottom to a lrg. serving plate. Spoon about three qt.ers of the peaches and their syrup evenly over the shortcake bottom. Carefully set the shortcake top over the peaches. Spoon remaining peaches and syrup over the shortcake top. Drizzle the peaches with some of the whipped cream, cut the shortcake into wedges, and serve immediately, passing the remaining cream at the table.