Strawberry Shortcake with Marscapone Cream and a Tuille Cookie

Last Easter we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with my Aunt Rebecca in Montague, Massachusetts.  The day was warm and beautiful so we enjoyed dinner outside.  Rebecca made the same little table favors my grandmother used to make out of crepe paper and small cups.  the little table favors shown below look just like old fashioned paper flowers.  They filled the cups with colorful Easter eggs and the table looked beautiful.  At the time I was counting my calories and came up with this healthy alternative to shortcake.  I ended up making them several times over the summer as different fruit became available.  Enjoy!

Spring Strawberries with Tuille Basket with Marscapone Cream

1 Quart Fresh Straberries, washed, hulled, and cut into thick slices and sprinkled with 1 tablespoon sugar

Marscapone Ricotta Cream

½ cup heavy cream whipped

½  cup marscapone
½ cup ricotta

Tuille Cookies:

These cookies require a silicone baking sheet liner.  I tried it with parchment and it was very difficult to remove the cookie from the paper. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream in mixer with paddle attachment:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
7 tablespoons confectionery sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Add in and mix until creamy:

1/3 cup all purpose flour

Continue mixing and add:

2 egg whites – one at a time  (not extra large – or remove a small amount)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes. 

Spoon approximately 2 teaspoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet with silicone liner.  Spread the dough with the back of a spoon until it is approximately 4 – 4.5 inches in diameter (the same size as a flattened cupcake liner).  You will probably be able to get about 4 – 5 cookies on the baking sheet at a time. 

Have a cupcake pan handy to form the baskets.  Bake for approximately 5 minutes.  The cookies should begin to brown on the edges.

**Immediately after removing from the oven, carefully peel the cookie from the silicone liner and gently press into the cupcake pan, folding the cookie where necessary to make a cone or basket shape. 
Allow to cool in the cupcake pan (I actually kept them there until serving so they were safe (they are very fragile)

To serve, fill the cookie with seasoned strawberries and top with Marscapone Cream.  Enjoy!