Strawberry Custard Angel Food Shortcake

Strawberry Custard Angel Food Shortcake

My daughter just finished junior high and partly because our kids have done all their schooling in French since kindergarten, she is off to Quebec for an educational and cultural exchange program for three weeks. I'm sure those of you with kids who are sending them off on their own for the first time know what that's like. I know this will be a valuable experience for her, I just hope it goes quickly. We're missing her terribly already.

Her best friend Kathryn's birthday is later this week and because Liv was going to miss it, we threw a little pre-birthday celebration barbeque this weekend. I started throwing out different and sometimes elaborate birthday cake ideas but Liv said, "Dad, can we just keep it simple; just something like a strawberry shortcake." So with those instructions in mind and suspecting that with the birthday girl's English family roots would have her loving anything with custard, I added some of my favorite old-fashioned vanilla custard as well. I also substituted homemade angel food cake as the base and the whole thing made for a luscious but not too heavy end to a delicious meal.

Happy Birthday Kath!

Vanilla Custard

Scald in the microwave or on the stove top:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and with the seeds scraped out

You can leave the pod in the milk while it is scalding to extract extra flavor and remove it before adding the milk to the flour mixture. Microwave works best as there is no chance of burning the milk.
NOTE: You can use a good quality pure vanilla extract instead of the vanilla bean but you must add it at the end of the recipe along with the butter.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine:

• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• pinch of salt

Over medium low flame slowly add 1 cup of the scalded milk, whisking constantly. As you notice the filling beginning to thicken, the rest of the scalded milk continuing to stir constantly until it begins to thicken again.  At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto

• 2 slightly beaten extra large egg yolks

whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir. Cook for an additional two or three until the filling reaches pudding consistency and remove from the flame. The mixture should just be beginning to boil at this point.

Stir in:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (if you did not use a vanilla bean earlier)

Pour into a bowl and lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the surface to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.

Angel Food Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan with parchment paper but do not grease the sides or bottom.

Sift together twice:

2/3 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cake flour

Beat to soft peaks:

6 egg whites
small pinch salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cream of tartar

Gradually add, a couple of tablespoons at a time:

• 1/2 cup sugar

Sift the dry ingredients over the beaten egg whites in four equal portions, folding very gently after each addition. A light touch is what is important here. Fold as gently as possible and only until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the cake springs back to the touch at the center.

Angel-food cake needs to be cooled in the pan upside down, so invert the pan onto a wire rack until completely cool. This step is important so that the cake does not fall after baking.

When completely cooled, run a sharp knife around the outer edge, release the pan lock and gently shake the cake out of the pan onto a serving plate. Remove the parchment paper.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp icing sugar (powdered sugar)

Combine and beat to firm peaks

• 1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced

You can use the strawberries just as they are or sprinkle with 3-4 tbsp sugar and toss well. Let sit for a half hour to an hour, tossing occasionally to extract some of the juice from the berries which then forms a syrup to pour over the cake or over the strawberries on top of the cake, as pictured.

To construct the cake, spread the custard evenly over the angel food cake to about an inch from the edge. Top with the strawberries and whipped cream. Chill before serving.