Anjum Anand: Strawberry and pomegranate shortcakes

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Makes one large cake or six to eight small individual ones

For the filling

70g cold butter
270g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
120g sugar
0.25 tsp salt
1 egg
100g cold milk
0.75 tsp vanilla essence

Step 1
Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7.

Step 2
Butter and flour an eight-inch, round cake tin (or, if making individual cakes, a baking sheet).

Step 3
Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mix looks like fine sand.

Step 4
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk and vanilla.

Step 5
Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, pour in the milk and stir, drawing in the flour from the sides.

Step 6
Gather up the dough with your hands and give it the lightest knead, just to bring it together – it should need no more than four or five turns.

Step 7
Place in the cake tin and gently pat to even the surface.

Step 8
(Or, if making individual cakes, pat into a square, cut into eight and gently press each piece into a round, then place on the prepared baking sheet) Brush with milk and bake for 20-25 minutes (or 15-17 for the smaller cakes), until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Step 9
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Step 10
Once cool, cut in half horizontally with a serrated knife.

Step 11
Heat the water, sugar, orange juice, star anise and vanilla essence in a medium saucepan, simmer until the sugar has melted, then boil for another few minutes until slightly syrupy.

Step 12
Add the strawberries and cook for two minutes.

Step 13
Turn off the heat, add the pomegranate and leave to cool.

Step 14
Lightly whip the cream until it forms soft billowing peaks.

Step 15
Remove and discard the star anise, and spoon the strawberries and juices evenly over the base of the cake.

Step 16
Spread the cream over the fruit, top with the upper layer and serve.