SERVES-8
150 grams of butter room temperature
75 grams of white castor sugar
1 lemon rind grated
1 egg yolk
8 oz of plain flour
450 ml of double cream whipped
225 grams of seasonal fruits
Powdered sugar for icing
METHOD
Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric beater
in a large bowl until soft and fluffy. Stir in the grated lemon rind and the
egg yolk. Fold in the plain flour and knead into soft dough.
Divide the dough into 3 parts. Roll out the dough on a
lightly flour dusted board then roll out each piece between 2 pieces of
non-stick silicone paper to make a 20cm circle that is 8 inches in diameter.
Remove the top piece of paper from each circle and crimp the edges with
fingertips and prick the circles all over with the help of a fork.
Set each circle on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake
in a preheated oven at 180 Degree C or 350 Degree F until golden brown.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Divide one circle of shortcake into
8 equal sections.
Remove all the shortcake layers from the paper and allow
them to cool on a wire tray.
Sandwich the two layers with 1/3 of the double cream and
some soft fruit, reserving some for the top layer.
Put the remaining whipped double cream into a piping bag
fitted with a rose nozzle. Pipe small rosettes of cream over the top of the gateau,
then pipe 8 equally spaced large rosettes of cream on top of them. Prop a
shortcake section against each one. Pipe one large rosette of cream in the
middle of the gateau. Decorate with soft fruit, dust powdered sugar.