Strawberry mousse shortcakes a perfect end-of-day treat

By Jim Bailey
theyankeechef.blogspot.com

What a refreshing treat to the end of a warm day here in New England, especially when you can use fresh, road-side strawberries.

This is a dessert that is super simple and super tasty. As for the cake rounds below? Use your imagination as with mousse. Try pears, mandarin oranges, plums or even blemish-free bananas. When you pair one fruit with another, there is no right or wrong.

Strawberry and peach mousse shortcakes.

1 cup chopped strawberries
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
2 envelopes plain gelatin
1 cup diced peaches, fresh, frozen or canned
1 cup whipped cream or topping
6 (2-inch) cake rounds, 1/2-inch thick*

Place strawberries and 1/4-cup sugar in a bowl and lightly mash. Let sit at room temperature 2 hours to release some of the juice from the strawberries.

Meanwhile, whisk water, remainder of sugar and gelatin in a large bowl until sugar has dissolved and gelatin has softened. Let sit for 2 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor of blender, place the peaches and gelatin mixture and puree until as smooth as possible on high, about a minute. Transfer to the same bowl you soaked the gelatin in and fold in the whipped cream.

Place cake rounds in the bottom of a 6-cup muffin tin. Equally divide the mousse on top of each cake round and refrigerate, loosely covered until set, about 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator, loosed the edges with a knife and place on serving plates. Top each with the macerated strawberries and serve immediately.

* I used spice cake, but feel free to use angel food, pound or even brownies.
Schiffer Books of Pennsylvania has released Jim Bailey’s new book The Yankee Chef: Feel Good Food for Every Kitchen. It contains more than 550 traditional New England comfort-food recipes tweaked for today’s palates with hundreds of kitchen tips and food facts. The hardback book is 312 pages and contains 200 color images. Its ISBN is 978-0-7643-4191-5 and the cost is $34.99. The book can be ordered through Misty Valley Books, 802-875-3400.