(And definitely try the recipe — I’ve been having strawberry smoothies for breakfast since we shot this a month ago!)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXwNnB_kHhc

Did your mom ever pack those Jell-O Pudding Cups in your lunch box when you were a kid?  And wasn’t there something irresistible about plunging a plastic spoon down into that rich, creamy pudding and taking a big, sugary bite?  Well, here’s a more grown-up version of the classic pudding cup, less sweet and far more sophisticated: Layers of pound cake, fresh fruit, and vanilla custard served inside an elegant glass tumbler.  Finish with a long-handled ice cream sundae spoon (check your local kitchen supply store, such as Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table) and you’ve got a very R-rated dessert that kids will love, too.

Make the pound cake:

3 large eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoons milk, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the paper.

In a medium bowl lightly whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract together with a fork.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute to aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg and strengthen the cake’s structure.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the cake browning too much as it bakes, cover with a piece of lightly buttered aluminum foil after about 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a lightly buttered wire rack.

Make the vanilla custard:

4 large eggs
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups half-and-half
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and cornstarch, whisking until the cornstarch is completely absorbed. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the half-and-half

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining half-and-half, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Whisk 1/4 cup of the hot half-and-half mixture into the eggs, then pour all of the egg mixture back into the boiling half-and-half, whisking constantly. The mixture will become very thick. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter.

Transfer to a bowl and immediately press a piece of greased plastic wrap over the top of the cream to prevent a “skin” from forming.

Prepare the fruit:

Wash and dry one pint of fresh, ripe but firm strawberries. Remove tops (reserve them for later use) and slice vertically into 1/4 inch-thick slices. Rinse and dry 1 pint of fresh blueberries.

Prepare the pudding cups:

Cut one 1/2-inch thick slice of pound cake.  Using the bottom of a glass tumbler (drinking glass) as a guide, trace a round of pound cake to fit snugly into the bottom of the cup.  Set the glass aside and cut the pound cake circle with a paring knife, then fit it into the bottom of the cup.  Top with a spoonfull of the custard, just enough to give the strawberry slices something to sink into.  Place strawberry slices into the custard, thick ends down and sliced faces pressed flat against the interior walls of the cup (they will look like upside-down triangles from the outside of the cup.) Depending upon the size of the cup, you will need 4 to 6 strawberry slices each.  Spoon more custard into the cup, being careful not to disturb the arranged strawberry slices.  Use a spoon to gently press the custard into the base and out to the edge of the glass.  Add enough custard come almost to the top of the glass, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top.  Arrange fresh blueberries over the top, and top with a reserved strawberry top.

Makes 8-12 pudding cups, depending upon the size of tumbler used.

And while I was at it, I thought this would be a good little recipe to film for my video archive.  It’s a pretty simple recipe to demonstrate: we slice and prepare the strawberries, roll out the biscuits, and assemble these little masterpieces in no time.  But wait!  There’s a surprise moment.  I won’t tell you what it is, you’ll have to click the video and watch for yourselves.  I hope it gives you a chuckle.  And if you learn one thing about me, I hope it’s that I try to take things in stride.

Summery Strawberry Shortcake

Prepare the strawberries and whipped cream:

2 pints fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced lengthwise
2/3 cup granulated sugar (divided)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup heavy cream

Combine the sliced strawberries, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl.  Toss gently and set aside.

Meanwhile in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or with a handheld mixer,) beat the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar with the heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the biscuits.

Prepare the shortcake biscuits:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tbsp) cold, unsalted butter (cut into small chunks)
3/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.  Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the butter is the size of small peas.  Add the cream and incorporate using a wooden spoon until the dough is thoroughly moistened, but not over-worked.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured, nonstick surface (such as a silicone baking mat or granite counter) and roll into a 1/2-inch-thick disk with a floured rolling pin.  Cut the dough into three-inch rounds using a cookie cutter, drinking cup, or empty tin can, gently rolling and re-rolling the dough as necessary. (You should have six to eight biscuits, depending on the size of the cutter and the thickness of the dough.)  Transfer the rounds to a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool.

Assemble the shortcakes:

Cut each cooled biscuit in half horizontally.  Place the bottom half on a plate and spoon the strawberries and whipped cream over it.  Place the top half of the biscuit on top of the berries and whipped cream.  Serve immediately.

But, no, my mom doesn’t bake. My birthday cakes came from Safeway.  So this must be someone else’s mom’s buttermilk cake.  Alas, Mom’s Buttermilk Cake is just a name.

But I’d like to meet the mom for whom this cake is named because it’s darned good.  Buttermilk imparts a slightly tangy flavor to the dense, moist cake, which cuts the sweetness of the whipped cream and adds a nice depth of flavor.  It’s pretty easy to make and is the perfect summertime dessert. Thanks, mom (of somebody else.)

Make the Cake:

4 yolks
2/3 cup buttermilk (divided)
1.5 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups sifted cake flower
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Materials: One 8-inch cake pan, bottom lined with parchment paper.  (It isn’t necessary to grease the sides of the cake pan.) 

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine the yolks, 1/3 cup of the buttermilk, and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk lightly with a fork to combine.  Set aside.  In a larger bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.  Add the butter and remaining buttermilk to the dry ingredients, and beat on low speed to combine thoroughly.  Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes to aerate the batter and build the cake’s structure.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the batter in 3 batches, beating for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate.  Beat the batter for another minute on high speed.

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and springs back to the touch.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Make the Whipped Cream:

1 pint heavy whipping cream (cold)
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat the cream on medium speed until it starts to thicken.  Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then add the vanilla.  Continue beating on medium-high until the cream is thickened and holds its shape.  Be careful not to overbeat or the cream will become grainy.  (Once it reaches this point, it can’t be salvaged.)

Prepare the Strawberries:

Wash and dry 2 pints ripe strawberries.  Trim them and remove greens.  Slice evenly and set aside.

Assemble the Cake:

Remove the cooled cake from the pan and slice it into 3 layers using a serrated knife, using a decorator’s turntable (if you have one) to rotate the cake as you slice to ensure even layers.  If the top layer has a rounded top, trim it flat and discard the scrap.

To prepare for the bottom cake layer, first tape a doily to an 8-inch cardboard round using double-sided tape.  Place the round with doily on a cake plate. If you don’t have a cardboard round, you can cut your own out of scrap cardboard, or you can place the cake directly onto a cake plate.  Place a dollop of whipped cream onto the doily (or cake plate) and then place the bottom layer on top of the cream.  The cream will act as glue to hold the bottom layer in place.

Spread 1/3 of the whipped cream over the top of bottom layer, then arrange the strawberries in concentric circles over the whipped cream.  You’ll want the whipped cream and berries to come all the way to the edge of the cake so they are visible between the layers of the finished cake.  Repeat with the middle and top layers of the cake. Serve immediately.

Remember, it’s okay if your layers are a bit uneven or the cream spills out over the side of the cake in some places.  This is mom’s buttermilk cake.  It isn’t supposed to look like it came from the grocery store.

Tips: The cake layers can be made up to a month ahead and frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.  However, the finished cake should be assembled as close to serving time as possible because  the whipped cream will start to break down and the stawberries will begin to water within an hour of assembly.

18 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced. (divided)
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon

Place roughly 2/3 of the strawberries in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour 1/3 cup of the sugar (plus more if your strawberries are less sweet) and lemon juice over the strawberries and cook over medium heat until the berries start to release their juices and the mixture begins to bubble. Turn heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and is reduced in volume by about two-thirds. Reducing the liquid in the mixture (via the release of steam) results in a more concentrated and intense strawberry flavor.

Remove the mixture from heat, and gently fold in the remaining sliced strawberries. Transfer compote to a bowl and serve warm, or allow to cool and store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to two weeks.

Not sure what to do with strawberry compote?

• Pour it over French vanilla ice cream.
• Spoon it onto biscuits and top with whipped cream to make strawberry shortcake.
• Toss 1/4 cup in a blender with 8 oz of plain yogurt, a banana and a drop of milk for a tasty fruit shake.
• Freeze it until winter. You’ll thank me in December. (Thaw in refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for several hours.)