Raspberry Shortcake

Ingredients:

•225g (8oz) (1 cup) raspberries
•150g (5oz) (10 tbsp) butter, diced at room temperature, extra for greasing
•140g (4½oz) (1 cup) cornflour
•150ml (¼ pint) (¾ cup) milk
•2 egg yolks
•1 tbsp plain flour
•For the shortbread biscuits:
•75g (3oz) (¾ cup) icing sugar, extra to decorate
•275g (10oz) (1⅔ cups) plain flour
•For the pastry cream:
•½ vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out
•2 tbsp caster sugar
•15g (½oz) (1 tbsp) butter
fresh tiny mint sprigs, to decorate

Method:

1. To make the shortbread, place the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and then sift over the flour and cornflour.
2. Using a hand held electric mixer, beat until you have achieved a smooth dough.
Add a tablespoon of cold water to help bring the mixture together if needed.
3. Cover with clingfilm. Place in fridge to rest for at least one hour and preferably overnight.
4. Roll out the shortbread on a lightly floured work surface until 3mm (⅛in) thick.
5. Cut out 16 discs using a 10cm (4in) fluted cutter. Place on a greased baking sheet.
6. Leave to rest again in the fridge for 10 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Bake the shortbread biscuits for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
9. To make the pastry cream, place the milk in pan with vanilla pod and seeds. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat.
10. Meanwhile, using a hand held electric mixer, beat the yolks in a bowl with the sugar and flour until thick and pale and leaving a trail.
11. Remove the vanilla pod and reserve to use in another recipe.
12. Carefully pour the heated milk onto the egg yolk mixture, stirring to combine.
13. Transfer to a clean pan and cook over a very low heat for 2-3 minutes until very thick, stirring continuously.
14. Do not allow to boil or it will curdle. Pour into a clean bowl and place a piece of clingfilm on the surface.
15. Leave to cool a little, then uncover and rub the top with the 1 tablespoon of butter to prevent a skin forming.
16. Leave to cool completely and then cover again with clingfilm and chill until needed.
17. To assemble, place one of the shortbread biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spoon a tablespoon of pastry cream into the centre and arrange some raspberries around the edge. Top with another shortbread biscuit and repeat the cream and raspberry layer.
18. Finish with a third shortbread biscuit and dust liberally with icing sugar.
19. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 6 shortcake stacks in total, reserving six raspberries for decoration.
20. Pop into the oven for 3-4 minutes to just warm through.
21. To serve, remove the warm shortcake stacks from oven and add one to each plate, then decorate with the rest of the raspberries, a dusting of icing sugar and the mint sprigs

Source: Kerrygold