Strawberry Shortcake Squares Recipe

These have a light and fluffy sponge with the occasional shortbread crunch. You can indulge yourself further my topping them with a white chocolate layer.

Sponge:

3 Eggs separated
2 1/2 Self Raising Flour
1 cup of strawberry (you can use frozen strawberries which you have defrosted)
1 cup butter
1 3/4  Cup Sugar
1 Cup Milk

Shortbread:

115g butter, at room temperature
55g caster sugar (I like to use golden for flavour)
Good pinch of salt
130g plain flour
40g ground rice (if you don't have just use plain flour - makes them crunchier) 
Demerara sugar, to finish

Topping:

250g White Chocolate and 5 TBSP natural yogurt (or vanilla)

Start by making the Shortbread:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150C. Put the butter into a large mixing bowl, and beat  until soft. Beat in the sugar and salt.

2. Sift over the flour and ground rice and mix, then knead to a smooth dough; if it doesn't come together, add a little more butter.

3. Then take the mixture and pat into a greased or lined baking tin. The mixture should be around 1cm thick. Now chill in the fridge for 15mins. 

4. Bake for around an hour  until cooked through, but not browned. Take out and leave to cool. (Turn the oven up to 180C for the sponge)

Then the Sponge:

Oven: 180C

1. Heat the strawberries to soften them and the juices start to release.

2. Then beat the egg white in a clean bowl until stiff firm peaks form. Set aside.

3. In another bowl beat together the butter, sugar and soften strawberries with an electric mixer. The Strawberries should break up until there is a only few lump remaining. Keep beating for 5 mins and then add the yolks and beat in well.

4. In separate bowl, mix a third of the flour with a third of the milk, then add another third and mix again and finally add the final third. Now all the milk and flour should be incorporated. 

5. Add the flour mixture to the Butter mixture and beat with an electric mixture for a few minutes until everything is combined. Finally fold in the egg whites.

6. Then break up the shortbread and fold the pieces through the sponge mixture.

7. Pour mixture into a square tin which has been greased or lined. Bake for 20-25mins. 

8. Remove from oven when the sponge is springy and you can a knife comes out clean when inserted in the centre.

Topping:

When cooled, add the topping.

Melt the chocolate and then stir in the yogurt. Spread over the top of the sponge and leave in the fridge to set.