Cardamom Shortcake With Maple Berries Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom and the salt; set aside.
• In medium bowl, beat softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; increase speed to medium, and beat 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the milk, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and milk, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Beat in sour cream until blended. Spread batter in pie plate.
• Arrange apple slices over batter. In small bowl, mix 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon cardamom until blended. Sprinkle over apple slices.
• Bake 30 to 34 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes.
• When ready to serve, sprinkle powdered sugar over top. For 8 servings, cut into 8 wedges. Store covered at room temperature.

Steps:

• For the buttermilk shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Chill 2 large mixing bowls, a pastry cutter, the flour and cubed butter in the freezer for 15 minutes before assembling the shortcakes.
• Add the flour to one of the chilled mixing bowls. Working quickly, cut the butter into the flour using the chilled pastry cutter (or your fingers); the goal here is pea-size balls of butter. In batches, add the buttermilk until the dough is cohesive yet still moist. (You may not need all of it.) Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and lightly press into a 1-inch-thick round. Using a 4-inch biscuit cutter or the business end of a dry measuring cup, cut out 8 biscuits.
• Preheat a cast iron skillet in the oven for 5 minutes.
• Swirl the oil in the bottom of the skillet and gently arrange the biscuits in the skillet, making sure they are all nestled up against each other tightly.
• Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Bake until the tops are just slightly golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• For the plums and cherries: Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the plums, cherries, granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice, ginger and cinnamon. Cook, stirring very gently as the fruit releases its juice, until the fruit is slightly soft, a few minutes. Take off the heat and add the butter. Gently stir until melted.
• For the ginger cardamom whipped cream: In the other cold bowl, mix together the cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cardamom and ginger. Beat to medium peaks.
• For assembly: Split a warm shortcake with a fork. Place the bottom on a plate or shallow bowl and spoon on some of the warm plum and cherry mixture. Dollop on some whipped cream and sprinkle with some candied walnuts. Top with the top of the shortcake. Spoon on some more of the warm plum and cherry mixture, dollop on more whipped cream and sprinkle with more candied walnuts. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 7 more.