Chocolate Raspberry Shortcakes

This is one of my all time favorite recipes when raspberries are in season. You can get great organic raspberries right now (June). The recipe can be found at Epicurious. Please note that this recipe only serves two, so you'll need to adjust. I tripled it and it made 6 shortcakes- although be prepared- they are more like crumbly biscuits.

For the shortcakes

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream

• 1 1/2 cups raspberries
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon framboise, or to taste
• 1/3 cup well-chilled heavy cream
• confectioners' sugar for sprinkling the shortcakes
• mint sprigs for garnish if desired

Make the shortcakes:
Into a bowl sift together the cocoa powder, the flour, the sugar, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt, add the butter, and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and stir the mixture with a fork until it forms a dough. Divide the dough in half, arrange each half in a mound on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake the shortcakes in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 12 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centers comes out with crumbs clinging to it. Transfer the shortcakes to a rack and let them cool.

In a bowl mash 3/4 cup of the raspberries with a fork, stir in 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar and the framboise, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and stir in the remaining 3/4 cup raspberries. In a small bowl with an electric mixer beat the cream until it holds soft peaks, add the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and beat the cream until it holds stiff peaks. Carefully cut the shortcakes in half horizontally with a serrated knife and with a metal spatula transfer the bottom half of each to an individual plate. (The shortcakes are delicate and crumble easily.) Top each bottom half with half the raspberry mixture, divide the whipped cream between the 2 shortcakes, and with the spatula carefully top each serving with the top half of a shortcake. Sprinkle the shortcakes with the confectioners' sugar and garnish the plates with the mint sprigs.

**I've never used the framboise. My shortcakes spread, so they looked like thick cookies. I didn't cut them in half! I tripled the recipe and got 6 shortcakes. I think the shortcakes need a bit more sugar- I used 8 T instead of 6. I also added vanilla into my whipped cream and used powdered sugar (since raw sugar doesn't melt nicely in whipped cream). Delicious!