Apple shortcake squares from the Edmonds Cookbook

Apples apples apples everywhere I look right now.  So it’s a good thing I like them so much and an even better thing that I am still resolutely in the apple recipe section of the Edmonds Cook Book.  Today I bring to you Edmond’s Apple Shortcake Squares.

What’s special about shortcake as opposed to just regular cake then?  I didn’t know either but fortunately trusty Wikipedia was onto it again.  Shortcake goes back to at least 1602!  And we know this because the great bard himself wrote the character Alice Shortcake in the Merry Wives of Windsor.  The short part of things is because the cake ingredients form a shortened crumbly dough, like a shortbread, and it’s baked to set into a cake at a reasonably high temperature.

Strawberry shortcake is the most famous example, first appearing in England where it was served hot with butter and cream.  Yes, the idea of all that melty sweet goodness makes my mouth water too.  But for true appreciation of strawberry shortcake we need to head to the States, where 14th June is National Strawberry Shortcake Day, the official day of celebration for this delicious treat.  It stems from the tradition of celebrating the Summer fruit harvest with strawberry shortcakes.  A great tradition indeed as far as I’m concerned.

Back here in Aotearoa I’m supposing apples were more plentiful than strawberries, and hence the good writers of Edmonds made sure the New Zealand home cook could still have a trusty fruit-based shortcake in their repertoire.  It’s a good thing they did too, I found this very tasty and also very easy to make.  If the shortcake sounds suspiciously like making pastry to you, don’t be put off.  It is truly a minimal faff recipe, which is my main criteria for baking, frankly.  And with our lovely apples being all seasonal and delicious right now, I promise this will prove popular if you need to bring a plate.

Edmond’s apple shortcake squares

Ingredients:

• 3 apples, peeled and sliced
• 2 T sugar
• 2 T water
• 1 t lemon zest
• Pinch cinnnamon

For the shortcake:

• 1 & 3/4 c plain flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 125 g butter
• 3/4 c caster sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 T milk
• 1 T caster sugar
• Icing sugar for sprinkling on the top

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcsius and grease and line a 22cm baking tin so that the baking paper comes over the top of the sides of the tin (you’ll need it later to hoist out the shortcake).

Simmer the apples with the water, lemon and cinnamon in a saucepan over a low heat until cooked and set aside.  While the apples are cooking, make the shortcake.

Sift the flour and baking soda.  Cut in the butter and rub it around with your fingers until it looks like clumpy breadcrumbs.  Add the water, milk and egg and mix quickly until it comes together into a ball.

Divide this in half.  Roll out one half of the dough with a rolling pin until and into the baking tin so it lines the base and sides.  Place the apples on top.

Roll the other half of the dough out on a floured board with a rolling pin, until it as long and wide as the baking tin.  Place it over the apples and pinch it together with the first piece of dough, so it encases the apples.  Brush the top with water and sprinkle on the caster sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then removing the shortcake from the tin, lifting it out by the extra baking paper peeking over the sides of the tin.  Dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.