Also, the fruit sits on top of some sort of cake or biscuit that can soak up the juices, and the entire creation is covered with a creamy topping. But lest you think that's all there is to them, t here are some definite groundrules that take the sweet desserts to the next level . First, the fruit must be fresh and ripe, which is why shortcakes are usually reserved for summer when there is an abundance of seasonal fruit. The shortcake season starts with strawberries, and as the summer weeks roll by, we add berry after berry to the list of possibilities. Blueberries and blackberries are particularly tasty.
Peaches are around most of the summer as the different varieties come into season.
Plums are a less common choice, but when ripe, they add a sweet but slightly tart quality to the mix. Blueberries and peaches are tasty alternatives to traditional strawberries on shortcake. To help plain biscuits morph into shortcakes, make them rich and tender. Start by adding an egg and additional sugar and using rich milk or cream for the liquid. You can also replace some of the all-purpose flour with cake flour, which tenderizes the shortcakes.