A luscious summer dessert you can bake and assemble in the cool of the day, then chill until ready to serve at the end of lunch or supper. The addition of gelatin stabilizes the whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE SHORTCAKE LAYERS:

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. cold unsalted butter, cut in sm. pieces
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 qt. (24 oz.) ripe strawberries, rinsed & drained (3 set aside for garnish, remainder hulled & sliced)

FILLING:

1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 tbsp. cold water
1 1/2 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. confectioners' sugar

Hot Fudge Sauce, room temperature (recipe follows)
For garnish: 3 chocolate-dipped strawberries (directions follows)

For shortcake layers: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease two 8 or 9 inch round layer cake pans. In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Quickly stir in buttermilk and milk with fork until flour mixture is moist. Dough will be sticky.

Divide evenly between prepared pans. With floured fingers pat out dough to fit bottoms of pans. Bake 12-15 minutes until pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on rack 5 minutes. Remove to rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile sprinkle granulated sugar over 2 cups of the sliced berries in a medium-size bowl. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes (or refrigerate until ready to use), turning occasionally, to extract juices.

For Filling: Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a heatproof glass measure. Let stand 1 minute to soften. Place cup in a small saucepan in 1 inch water. heat gently, stirring constantly until gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove cup from water. Stir 2 tablespoons cream into dissolved gelatin. Whip remaining cream and the vanilla in a medium-size bowl with electric mixer until slightly thickened. Beat in gelatin, then gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating constantly, until cream mixture is thick and stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted.

To assemble: Put 1 shortcake layer top side up on serving plate. Top with 2/3 the cream mixture, piped through a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (or drop dollops from a tablespoon), to within 1/2 inch of cake edges. Spoon unsweetened sliced berries over cream. Cover with remaining cake layer top side up. Spoon on sweetened berries with their juices, then pipe or spoon the remaining 1/3 cream mixture on top in large swirls. Drizzle with Hot Fudge Sauce; garnish with chocolate-dipped strawberries. Refrigerate until served. Makes 12 servings.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED STRAWBERRIES:

Melt 1/2 ounce semi-sweet chocolate (1/2 square or 1 round tablespoon chips) in a small bowl. Gently pat reserved whole strawberries dry with paper towels. Dip tips of berries in melted chocolate. Place on waxed paper-lined plate; refrigerate about 10 minutes until chocolate is firm.

HOT FUDGE SAUCE:

A very rich, fudgy sauce that stores well in the refrigerator and needs only to be brought to room temperature for just - right pouring consistency.

5 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 sq. (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. evaporated (not condensed) milk
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; whisk in cocoa until smooth. Stir in chocolate, sugar and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in salt. Cool slightly, then stir in vanilla. Makes 1 2/3 cups.