Chocolate Shortcakes With Bananas and Caramel

From Cooking Light January 2007

• Ready In: 52 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Shortcakes

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄3 cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup  chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1⁄2 cup fat-free buttermilk

• Filling

• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  tablespoons water
• 2  tablespoons  whipping cream
• 1  teaspoon butter
• 1  cup  frozen  reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
• 1⁄8 teaspoon  unsweetened cocoa
• 2  medium bananas, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 2 cups)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. To prepare the shortcakes, combine flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Cut in 1/4 cup butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Add buttermilk; stir just until moist.
5. Knead lightly in bowl 5 to 6 times.
6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; pat dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Cut dough into 8 wedges, cutting into, but not through, dough.
8. Bake for 18 minutes or until just firm to the touch.
9. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.
10. Place shortcake on a cutting board or work surface; cut along score lines with a serrated knife to form 8 wedges.
11. To prepare filling, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; stir gently just until sugar dissolves.
12. Cook, without stirring, until pale golden (about 4 minutes), gently swirling pan if needed to cook sugar evenly.
13. Remove from heat; add cream and 1 teaspoon butter, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Cool 5 minutes.
14. Place whipped topping and 1/8 teaspoon cocoa in a medium bowl; fold just until combined.
15. Split shortcakes in half horizontally using a serrated knife.
16. Arrange about 1/4 cup bananas over bottom half of each shortcake; top each serving with about 1 teaspoon caramel sauce, about 2 tablespoons whipped topping mixture, and top of shortcake. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon caramel sauce over top of each shortcake.