Happy Birthday Mother Church

Yesterday was the Catholic Church's birthday.  The Feast of Pentecost (50th Day of Easter) when the Holy Spirit descends upon the 12 Apostles and Our Blessed Mother.  To celebrate I made a mouth-watering dessert.  I love having dessert every so often (at least 1x week).  I receive emails with recipes in them on a regular basis.  Sometimes the recipes don't strike my fancy but most often they do.  This recipe is one that came just last week...perfect time for Pentecost.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Shortcake
adapted from: Cuisine at Home

Shortcake
1 3/4 cups flour
3 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
4 T unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup chopped semisweet chocolate (I used chocolate chunks)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup plain yogurt (I did not have yogurt...used more cream)
heavy cream
sugar

Topping
1 10oz box frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
4 cups fresh strawberries (I just 3 cups frozen strawberries all together)
1/4 cup sugar
2 t lemon juice (used orange)

Simmer for chocolate sauce (omitted)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 T corn syrup
4oz chopped chocolate

Whipped Cream
1/2 cup whip cream
2 T powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 425.  Grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Cut in butter with a pastry cutter.  Add chocolate.  Mix in cream and yogurt until it just comes together.  Pat out in a large circle on flour counter (1inch thick).  Cut into biscuits.  Brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake about 15 minutes until golden brown.

Mix strawberries, juice and sugar. (Mash slightly if desired). Let rest.

Bring cream and corn syrup to a simmer.  Remove from heat. Add chocolate; let rest so chocolate can melt slightly.  Whisk until smooth.

Beat cream, powdered sugar and vanilla together until peaks form.

Layer cake half.  Strawberries.  Chocolate sauce and whipped cream.  Other half of cake.