Oma's Shortcake

I don't have a picture.  Sorry.  Anyone who has had this shortcake can attest to its goodness.  Independent goodness has been certified by the judges in Open Class Foods at the Waushara County Fair where this won a blue ribbon.  There you go award-winning shortcake!

The recipe is Oma's (my mother's) and when I won with her recipe she felt it was a personal accolade for her.  That's a bit like Queen Isabella taking credit for discovering the New World because she financed Chris Columbus' trip.  We all know the ins and outs on that score.

Oma's Shortcake:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit.

Mix these ingredients in a bowl with a fork:

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening

When well mixed (you do not want to over mix), add "almost" a cup of milk.  Okay, nothing with Oma is a straight line, black or white; everything is conditional and leads to nowhere.  Translation of that almost is Oma like to add heavy or whipping cream to this recipe to make it taste richer, more full-bodied.  Oma grew up on a dairy farm and I think this is actually one of the few recipes she actually remembers and never wrote down that was actually handed down from her mother or grandmother.  I have never really seen this recipe anywhere else or any recipe with these ingredients.  Technically it is a drop biscuit and should have the consistency of a drop biscuit.  But, it is sweet, AND moist, unlike a scone or biscotti and has never in our family been prepared with nuts or raisins or such stuff.

So, if no cream on hand, to get the right consistency use 3/4 cup of milk.  If you have some cream, use a 1/4 cup and then fill the rest of the liquid measure cup with 2% milk to between 7/8 and 15/16 of a cup.  If you have whole milk go with 7/8 of a cup.

Use a tablespoon and the fork to lob onto a flat cooking pan of some sort 7 drops of dough.  This recipe makes 7 individual shortcakes.  Oh, I have tried to make them a tad smaller to get 8, but it just doesn't happen.  I have given up trying.  Oma's recipe, like Oma, is perverse like that.

Cook 15 to 18 minutes, or until the peaks are tipped with brown.  Do not overcook.

Great alone, best split in half with strawberry sauce ladled over them and a dollop of whipped cream.