Chocolate Raspberry Shortcake

I love shortcakes - any kind of shortcakes.  This is a nice twist on the classic, adding chocolate to the equation.  This dessert would also be good substituting the raspberries with blackberries, strawberries, or even bananas.

Biscuits:

• 2 cups flour

• ¼ cup sugar

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup butter chilled, cut into ½" dice

• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chopped (chips work fine)

• ½ cup milk

• 1 egg

• ¼ cup milk for brushing

• Caster sugar or sugar

Place all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.  Add butter and cut butter into flour using a pastry cutter or a fork. Stop when it looks grainy. Wisk egg with the milk and pour into the flour mixture. Using a fork,stir it together until it forms a ball. Do not over mix. Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently work it so it's not sticky. Form the dough into a disk ¾" thick. Cut into 8 biscuits and place on a greased baking sheet. Brush biscuit tops with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400º for 15 to 20 minutes.

• 4 cups fresh raspberries

• (no need for sugar if they are not too tart)

Whipping Cream:

• 2 cups whipping cream

• 2 tbsps powdered sugar

• 2 tbspscocoa powder

• 2 tbspsKahlua liqueur

Whip cream until soft peaks form. Add remaining ingredients and whip until incorporated.

To assemble, cut a biscuit in half. Place bottom half in a serving bowl, top with ½ cup raspberries, and a ½ cup cream. Place biscuit top on the cream and garnish with a tbsp of cream and a raspberry.

Serves 8.