Dark Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake

One of my seven berrilicious recipes was a bomb. The flavor was good but it definitely needs some tweaking. I also need to use a different pan. What a mess! My idea was to make a peach and raspberry sour cream coffee cake with a streussel topping. Well, the batter took too long to cook so the bottom was too dark. The pan was too small so the batter overflowed and spilled out into my oven. What a mess.

So, since I haven’t had time to tweak the recipe and try again, I needed to come up with another berry recipe. I woke up yesterday morning with the idea to try making one of my favorite desserts, Strawberry Shortcake, with chocolate! (Doesn’t everyone wake up thinking about chocolate?)

I knew I had all the ingredients so I proceeded to take my favorite shortcake recipe and add chocolate. I was so happy with the results that I ate it for breakfast. Yup! Well… berries, biscuits, cream…  Sounds like a well-rounded breakfast to me. Perhaps the chocolate did take it over the top but.. oh well.

Now if you are not a fan of dark chocolate, replace the dark chocolate cocoa with regular cocoa and use semi-sweet chocolate instead of the 72% chocolate. I’m not sure why anyone wouldn’t be a fan of dark chocolate but I try not to judge.

Dark Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake
(Not for Sissies!)

Ingredients:

Shortcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature (plus 1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 of 4 ounce bar 72% cocoa chocolate bar, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar in the raw

Strawberries:

• 1 quart strawberries, sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)

Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

To make shortcakes:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking dish or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine dry ingredients with a whisk. Stir in chopped chocolate. Cut in the stick of butter until you have course crumbs. Stir in the cream. Plop 8 mounds onto prepared pan. Melt the additional 1 tablespoon of butter and brush over tops. Sprinkle with sugar in the raw. Bake 12-14 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack (not completely – really good when still a little warm).

Berries:

Combine berries and sugar and set aside for 30 minutes for sugar to dissolve.

Whipped Cream:

In a chilled bowl, whip cream with hand mixer until it starts to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Keep cold.

To Assemble:

• Slice shortcake in half.
• Spoon whipped cream over bottom half.
• Top with some berries and juices.
• Place top half of shortcake over berries.
• Top with more berries.
• Garnish with more whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup (oh why not?!)

You’re welcome.

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn