Strawberry Shortcake

Anita Leipper

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt

1/3 cup corn or safflower oil

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1 1/2 cups soymilk or 1 1/4 cups apple juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 Tablespoons aluminum-free baking powder (1 1/2 teaspoons per cup flour)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup (with soymilk) or brown rice syrup (with apple juice)




Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To prepare shortcake, mix flours, baking powder, and salt well, then sift them together. Discard gritty part of cornmeal that remains in sifter or strainer. Add remaining ingredients to flours, and stir with a wire whisk to form a smooth batter. Transfer to corn-oiled, 8-inch square baking dish or a pie pan or cake tin. Bake until golden, for 20-30 minutes.

Strawberry Sauce

Anita Leipper

2 pints (baskets) strawberries

1/4 cup brown rice syrup

3 Tablespoons kuza root starch or arrowroot.

1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt

1/2 cup apple juice




To prepare sauce, rinse whole strawberries in a bowl of cool water, drain, the pinch off and discard stems. Place kuzu or arrowroot and 1/4 cup juice in a small bowl and set aside. Place berries in cooking pot sprinkle with salt, and pour rice syrup and remaining 1/4 cup juice over berries. Bring to boil over medium heat, and continue to cook until berries are tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir kuzu mixture, turn heat low, and add it to the pot. Carefully stir until a thick, shiny sauce forms, about 30 seconds.

Tofu Whipped Cream

Anita Leipper

1/2 pound tofu, fresh

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

few grains of unrefined sea salt

2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

Water to blend, up to about 1/4 cup




To make tofu whipped cream, simply blend ingredients until creamy smooth. I usually do not boil the tofu for this topping as so little of it is used and boiling tends to make it firm up. If you do boil it ahead, store cream in blender and whip it up again just before service. For large amounts, mix all ingredients except water, then add it gradually until desired consistency is reached. Less will be needed. To put shortcake together let cake and sauce cool at least 1/2 hour before serving. Cut cake in 6, 9, or 12 squares or wedges to serve. Pour sauce over each serving of cake, and a dab of tofu whipped cream over sauce.

Plum Corncake

Anita Leipper

1 cup apple juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 Tablespoons kuzu root starch or arrowroot

pinch of unrefined sea salt



Or use peach, nectarine, or apricots - Make same shortcake as for strawberry shortcake but before baking include 5 plumbs (or other large stone fruits) halved and pits discarded. Lay halves cut side down on cake in rows, 3 by 3 in a square dish. Press plumbs into cake and bake as usual. Prepare the sauce which follows if desired.

Blueberry Corncake

Anita Leipper

few grains of unrefined sea salt

2 Tablespoons kuzu root starch or arrowroot

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups apple juice

2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

pinch of unrefined sea salt



Make same shortcake as for strawberry shortcake. Add 1 1/2 cups blueberries to shorcake batter and prepare the following topping.



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