Banana Split Shortcakes

Ingredients

• 1 quart ice cream (either chocolate, strawberry or vanilla ice cream, your choice)

Strawberry Sauce

• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Shortcakes

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1-1 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

Garnishes

• 2 cups whipped topping
• 3 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 8 maraschino cherries, with stems if desired
• 1 (10 ounce) jar hot fudge, heated as directed on jar

Directions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 400°F Chill one cookie sheet and have ready another cookie sheet.

2. 2

   Drop 8 scoops of ice cream onto chilled cookie sheet and place in freezer.

3. 3

   For Strawberry sauce:.

4. 4

   Put sauce ingredients into a small saucepan, stir to mix.

5. 5

   Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

6. 6

   Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. 7

   Pour into a bowl, cool, cover, and refrigerate.

8. 8

   For Shortcakes:.

9. 9

   Mix together the flour, sugar, and the baking powder in a medium bowl.

10. 10

    With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

11. 11

    Pour 1 c of the lite buttermilk in with the mixture and stir with a spoon until mixture clumps together and is slightly sticky, adding more liquid, a little at a time, if necessary (up to the 1 1/4 cup in total).

12. 12

    (Note: You can mix the shortcake dough in a processor too. Process the dry ingredients briefly to mix and then scatter butter over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With motor running, add buttermilk and process just until mixture leaves sides of bowl. Remove blades.).

13. 13

    Drop 8 slightly rounded 1/3 cupfuls of dough 2 inches apart on ungreased

14. 14

    Bake 12 minutes or until slightly puffed, bottoms are brown and tops are golden.

15. 15

    Gently slide cakes onto a wire rack and cool completely.

16. 16

    Shortly before serving:.

17. 17

    Split shortcakes in half (using a serrated knife and gentle sawing motion makes it easier and less likely to tear the shortcake).

18. 18

    Place shortcake on dessert plate and top each with a scoop of the ice cream and 2 slices of banana.

19. 19

    Drop a large dollop or pipe some whipped cream onto top of banana.

20. 20

    Garnish with cherries.

21. 21

    Either serve with little pitchers of the strawberry sauce and the hot fudge sauce (already heated) or lightly drizzle each dessert with both sauces.