Walk Of Fame Chocolate Star Shortcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the shortcakes: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until sandy. Add the chocolate. Whisk 1 egg, the cream and vanilla in a glass measuring cup; stir into the flour mixture with a fork to make a shaggy dough (there will be some dry bits). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; pat flat until 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 6 rounds with a knife or cookie cutter, using the scraps for the last cake.
• Place the rounds on the baking sheet; freeze for 20 minutes. Beat the remaining egg; brush onto the cakes and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until firm, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the toppings: Toss half of the strawberries with half of the sugar in a bowl; set aside. Place the other half of each in a saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, mashing with a fork to make a thick puree, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Whip the cream with a mixer until medium peaks form; swirl in the strawberry puree.
• Split the shortcakes in half. Layer some of the strawberry cream and reserved fruit on the bottoms; cover with the shortcake tops. Finish with more strawberry cream and the remaining berries.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift flour, 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into large bowl. Mix in chocolate chips. Mix in just enough chilled cream to form dough that will be firm enough to roll out. Turn out dough onto well-floured work surface. Using well-floured hands, pat out dough to 3/4-inch-thick rectangle, frequently sliding long knife under dough to prevent sticking. With floured 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out stars. Gather dough scraps; pat out to 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and cut out additional stars (for total of about 24).
• Brush stars with butter, sprinkle with additional sugar. Arrange shortcake stars sugared side down on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until shortcakes feel firm and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 22 minutes. Transfer shortcakes to racks and cool (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover, let stand at room temperature.)
• Place scoop of ice cream in each of 8 bowls. Garnish with sauce, berries, whipped cream, 1 or 2 stars and mint, if desired. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• For Sauce:
• Combine cream and sugar in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until chocolate melts and sauce is smooth. Mix in brandy and vanilla. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For Biscuit:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 1 1/2- inch-high sides; dust with flour. Combine 2 cups flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add chopped chocolate. Gradually add 2/3 cup buttermilk, stirring with fork until dough forms.
• Transfer dough to cake pan; press gently to level top. Brush dough with 2 tablespoons buttermilk, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake biscuit until cooked through and golden on top, about 25 minutes. Cool biscuit in pan on rack (biscuit will be 1 to 1 1/2 inches high.)
• For Filling:
• Reserve 8 berries for garnish. Slice remaining berries into large bowl. Add 4 tablespoons sugar and toss to coat; let stand until berries begin to release juices, about 30 minutes. Combine whipping cream, vanilla and 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl. Whip to soft peaks. Cover and chill cream until ready to serve.
• Rewarm sauce over low heat, stirring often. Cut around pan sides to loosen biscuit. Turn biscuit out onto work surface. Using long serrated knife, carefully cut biscuit in half horizontally. Using large spatula as aid, place biscuit bottom on platter. Spoon sliced berries with their juices over. Drizzle with some chocolate sauce. Spoon all but 1/2 cup whipped cream over; cover with biscuit top. Drop reserved whipped cream in dollops onto biscuit. Garnish with reserved whole strawberries. Cut into wedges and serve, passing remaining chocolate sauce separately.

Steps:

• Combine strawberries and 1/3 cup sugar; refrigerate if desired. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar. Cut in butter and 2/3 cup chips until crumbly. Add half-and-half and stir until just moistened. , Divide dough into 8 patties, about 3/4-in. thick. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with coarse sugar and remaining chips. , Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat whipping cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate., To assemble, split shortcakes in half. Place cake bottoms on dessert plates. Top with about two-thirds of the strawberries, whipped cream and fudge topping. Replace shortcake tops; top with remaining berries, cream and topping. Garnish with chocolate if desired.

Steps:

• Pick over and hull strawberries. Cut in half or slice, depending on size. Gently crush about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and the 1/2 cup of sugar, adding more sugar if necessary. Set aside, covered, for about half an hour to develop flavor.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add 3/4 cup of softened butter, and rub into dry ingredients as for pastry. Add 1 1/4 cups cream, and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough for one minute on a lightly floured pastry board, then roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut an even number of rounds - 2 rounds per serving.
• Use a little of the butter to grease a baking sheet. Place half the rounds on it. Melt remaining butter and brush a little on the rounds; place remaining rounds on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, and pull shortcakes apart. Brush the insides with some of the remaining melted butter.
• Beat remaining cream until it thickens. Add vanilla. Beat again just until thick.
• Place a bottom half of a shortcake on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of berries. Cover with a top half, add a few more berries, and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch square cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with cocoa; tap out excess. Set aside.
• Into a mixer bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and powder, and salt. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Divide batter between prepared pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and center of cake is springy to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes before inverting cakes onto rack. Let cool completely.
• Trim tops of cakes to make level. Spread a thin layer of chocolate buttercream over cakes to seal in crumbs; refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread another layer of chocolate buttercream over cakes, squaring the corners and smoothing the tops completely. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.
• Decorate star square: Cut out a paper star; place on top of cake. Sprinkle sanding sugar around star, covering cake; remove star template. Use a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #5 plain tip to pipe an oval in the bottom center of the star for the camera, leaving enough room to pipe writing above. Use licorice candies to make the camera.
• Pipe borders of both cakes: Using yellow buttercream and #5 tip and light-brown buttercream and Ateco #16 star tip, pipe alternating dots and stars on top edge.
• Decorate handprint square: Set cookie handprints on lower half of cake, extending over the edge. Using a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #3 plain tip and filled with pink buttercream, write the birthday-girl's name above handprints. Pipe "happy birthday" on star cake, above the camera. Arrange cakes next to each other to resemble two sidewalk squares.