Cherry Shortcake
"This recipe came from a school cook many years ago! It's quick and easy to make and delicious.
You can make a cheap version with margarine or you can use all butter. Instead of cherries you might use chocolate chips, ginger pieces or anything you fancy!"
- I have a shallow Tesco baking tray that I love, 40cms x 27cms and I use it for all sorts of tray bakes. If you use a smaller tray then halve the quantities shown here.
- 1150g plain flour
- 750g butter
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 400g caster sugar
- 350g glacé cherries
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Grease your baking tin with butter and set your oven for 160C.
- Cream the sugar, butter and vanilla essence.
- Halve the cherries.
- Sieve the flour and baking powder into the mix, add the cherries and stir to make a thick and sightly crumbly mix.
- Pour into the tray and flatten out with your hand first (clean hands please!) and the smooth with an offset palette knife (these are wonderful tools!).
- Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes before listening. It should be fairly quiet and firm to the touch. If noisy or not firm then give it another ten minutes or so – it should be lightly golden.
- Take it out and allow it to go cold n the tray before cutting into fingers or squares.