Strawberry Shortcake On Cornmeal Biscuits

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil.

2. Step 2

   Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar in a food processor and process to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is uniformly crumbly. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Step 3

   Using a fork or your fingertips, lightly stir in the beaten egg and buttermilk, moistening the ingredients enough so they can be gathered together to form a ball of soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board.

4. Step 4

   Pat the dough until it is uniformly one-half inch thick or just slightly thicker. Cut into six four-inch rounds. You can re-form the scraps and cut those. Place the dough rounds on the baking sheet and bake until medium brown on the bottom and just beginning to brown on top - 14 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on racks.

5. Step 5

   Rinse, hull and halve the strawberries. Sweeten to taste with superfine sugar and allow to macerate in kirsch. Whip the cream with one tablespoon of confectioners' sugar.

6. Step 6

   To serve, split each of the shortcakes in half horizontally with a sharp knife. Spread the bottom halves with some of the whipped cream, top with strawberries, spread the undersides of the top halves with the rest of the cream, then cover the strawberries with the tops of the cakes. Dust the tops with sifted confectioners' sugar before serving.