Strawberry Shortcake

Due to its lower fat content, this shortcake can overcook and crumble quickly, so watch it carefully in the oven--don't allow it to brown.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Ingredients

• Strawberries:
• 4  cups  sliced strawberries
• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 
  Shortcake:
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon rind
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  baking soda
• 6  tablespoons  chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3  cup  fat-free buttermilk
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• Cooking spray
• 1  large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  turbinado sugar or granulated sugar
• 
  Remaining ingredients:
• 2  cups  frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
• Whipped topping (optional)
• Whole strawberry (optional)

Preparation

To prepare strawberries, combine strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; cover and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare shortcake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through baking soda) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine buttermilk and vanilla; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush top with egg white; sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar.

Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Carefully split shortcake in half horizontally using a serrated knife; cool layers separately on wire racks.

Place bottom half of shortcake, cut side up, on a serving plate. Drain strawberries, reserving juice; drizzle juice over bottom half of shortcake. Spread 2 cups whipped topping over shortcake layer; arrange strawberries over whipped topping. Top with remaining shortcake layer, cut side down. Garnish with whipped topping and whole strawberry, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

246 (27% from fat)

Fat:

7.4g (sat 4.4g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.5g)

Protein:

4g

Carbohydrate:

40.3g

Fiber:

2.2g

Cholesterol:

19mg

Iron:

1.6mg

Sodium:

348mg

Calcium:

90mg