Strawberries Romanoff with Poundcake

It's summer, as I'm sure we all know by now. It's getting damn hot out there, and when I start sweating like a hooker at confession, I know that my baking season is done. Yet I still want something classy and fantastic tasting. A decadent dessert that'll wow friends, and yet, still only take me about 5 minutes of time so I can go back to a glass of iced tea, Xena DVDs, and my AC.

My answer to that is Strawberries Romanoff with Poundcake. It's a combination of two classic desserts; Strawberries Romanoff and Strawberry Shortcake. Very quick, very classy, and very simple. I highly suggest it for company or for the hell of it on a sweltering summer evening.

Strawberries Romanoff with Poundcake
Serves 4

What You'll Need...
Frozen pound cake
1 1/2 pounds strawberries
2 tablespoons Cointreau (or Grand Mariner)
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 generous tablespoon of sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons of powdered sugar

What You'll Do...
1) Slice up the strawberries. Place them in a bowl and combine them with the sugar, orange rind, and booze. Drink some of the Cointreau. Refrdigerate for about 1-3 hours. Afterwards, take about 1/3 of the mixture and puree it. (I couldn't puree it since my blender is shot, but do it if you can. I just saved some of the juice instead.)

2) Whip together the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold in the puree/juices.

3) Place slices of pound cake in a dish. Spoon on the strawberry mixture, and then some of the whipped cream. If you have crystal goblets or good wine glasses then use those for presentation, however bowls will do just dandy.

Feel free to make these ahead of time and refridgerate them until needed. It's an elegant solution to entertaining and beating the heat. Enjoy.