Shortcakes With Lemon Curd Cream and Strawberries

Ingredients

Shortcake
4 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 egg whites
3⁄4 cup cake flour
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Butter for ramekins

Lemon Curd Cream
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons butter, cubed
1 cup heavy cream

Strawberries
1 pound strawberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions

Shortcake
Preheat oven to 325. In the bowl of a mixer, whip yolks with 2⁄3 cup sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Transfer to another bowl. Clean the bowl and whip egg whites and remaining sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into yolks. Sift cake flour and salt over the mixture and fold in. Butter 8 6-ounce ramekins (or 2 9-inch cake pans). Leave a lip of butter on the edge to help the shortcakes rise while baking. Fill ramekins 3⁄4 full with batter and bake for 15 to 17 minutes (25 minutes for cake pans), or until cakes are golden on top and spring back when pressed. Cool in ramekins for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store at room temperature until ready to serve.

Lemon Curd Cream
In a heat-proof bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, zest, juice, and sugar. Set bowl over a warm-water bath and whisk continuously until the mixture is very thick. (Do not allow water to boil.) Remove the bowl from the water bath and whisk in butter, a little at a time. Place plastic wrap flush with surface of the curd and refrigerate. Whip the cream to stiff peaks in a large bowl. Fold in the lemon curd until combined, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Strawberries
Thinly slice strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to steep for at least 15 minutes. Taste. Add more sugar if needed. Assembly: When ready to serve, slice the shortcakes in thirds horizontally with a bread knife. Place a dollop of lemon cream on the bottom layer and top with strawberries. Repeat with remaining layers. (Published 2005)