STRAWBERRY SHORT CAKE

Ingredients:
Ripe strawberries - 2 cups
Castor sugar - 1 cup
Butter - 1 cup
Maida - 3 cups
Thick cream - 2 cups
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt -  a pinch
Milk

Method:

• Sift flour in a bowl, mix castor sugar, add butter and mix in the flour thoroughly with your finger tips until it resembles coarse crumbs then add little milk  to make a dough, do not add too much, divide the mixture into two and press each portion in a greased and lined 9" cake pan, press firmly and prick all over, crimp the edges with a fork. Mark through into six wedges with a knife.
• Bake in a moderate oven until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Mix chopped strawberries with sugar and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Beat cream with sugar and vanilla. 
• Place one round on a platter, separate the wedges a little, cover with cream mixture and strawberries with juice.
• Separate the wedges of the other round of shortbread and lay in around on top of the cream mixture and strawberries layer.
• Top with cream and strawberries.