American Strawberry Shortcake

A delicious dessert, full of strawberries and cream to die for - a treat for special occasions - wonderful for dinner parties. Simple to make

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 10-12 slices

Ingredients

• 8  ounces flour
• 2  ounces icing sugar
• 6  ounces butter, softened
• 1  egg yolk
• 10  ounces  cream, thick whipping
• 1  lb strawberry
• 2  tablespoons caster sugar

Directions

1. Sift Flour and icing sugar into a medium bowl, cut the butter into small pieces and add to the bowl.
2. mix and kneed well until mixture is quite smooth,.
3. Add the egg yoke and two tablespoons of the cream - blend well.
4. cover the dough with waxed paper and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Pre heat oven to 190c (375f). divide the dough into two equal parts and roll out each piece to about a 9 inch circle .
6. A hint here is to roll it out between two pieces of greaseproof paper, no sticking and when its ready peel off the paper and turn upside down on baking tray and peel of the other paper.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown,.
8. transfer one round, carefully to a cooling rack - and the other you cut immediately its out of the oven into slices - 10-10 slices and transfer the slices on another rack to completely cool.
9. Hull and cut the strawberries in halves or thirds. beat the cream until its thick enough to stand on its own but still able to stir it.
10. Fold the strawberries into the cream. Spoon mixture onto the centre of the shortbread - forming a pyramid, and place the slices around the piled up cream -- Simply serve.
11. This can be prepared the day before and covered in cling film and kept at room temperature.