One of my favorite summer desserts–Strawberry Shortcake. Since last year, I’ve been making my shortcakes with cornmeal and I haven’t turned back. It is insanely delicious!!
Normally, when I make strawberry shortcakes, I usually just macerate my strawberries. What does that mean?? That means tossing your fruit with a little bit of sugar and allowing the fruit to sit for at least 20 minutes. This allows the fruit to release it’s natural juices and creates a bit of a sauce, which is perfect for topping yogurt or ice cream. But today! Today, I’ve decided to roast the strawberries instead. I know, it sounds weird, but it’s UH-MAZING!! This dessert dates back to the 1500’s and nowadays is know as National Strawberry Shortcake Day.
It’s perfect for those wonderful summer days and it’s easy to travel with. So you can enjoy it at the beach or on a picnic! (Yes, I am that person that will bring strawberry shortcakes to the beach.) Serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. (The secret to my whipped cream, which everyone goes bananas over, is Nielsen Massey Vanilla Bean Paste.) It makes such a difference in your desserts!! I mean, a HUGE difference. I use it in all recipes where I need to add vanilla. I even added a touch in my strawberries before I roasted them. Maybe you will make this for Father’s Day? Don’t forget to subscribe! New recipes plus cooking class schedules will be posted!!
Strawberry Shortcakes
Tender, soft shortcakes layered with sweet, roasted strawberries and topped with light vanilla whipped cream
Ingredients
-3 tbsp brown sugar
-1 1/4 cup AP flour
-1/4 cup very fine cornmeal
-1 1/2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-6 tbsp unsalted butter, very cold, cubed
-6-8 tbsp heavy cream, very cold, plus extra for brushing
-sparkling sugar, for topping shortcakes
-1 lb strawberries, hulled, quartered
-1 tbsp granulated sugar
-1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
-1 lemon, zested
-2 cups heavy cream, very cold
-granulated sugar to taste
-vanilla bean paste, to taste
Directions
- For shortcakes: Preheat oven to 400 F. In a food processor, add the brown sugar, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Place the lid on and pulse a few times, just to evenly distribute the ingredients. Remove the lid and add one tablespoon of very cold butter. Replace the lid and pulse the butter in the food processor 5 times. Repeat until all of the butter has been used. The flour should resemble wet sand.
- While pulsing, slowly add the cold heavy cream in a very slow stream. Add enough heavy cream until a dough has formed into a ball. (You may not use all 8 tbsp of heavy cream.)
- Turn dough onto a floured surface. Roll dough until 1/2 inch thick. Cut out shortcakes, using a cookie cutter and place onto Silpat or nonstick sheet tray. Once all cut shortcakes are placed on sheet tray, brush with heavy cream and generously sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
- Place sheet tray in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so the dough chills. *Very important step. The dough must be very cold before going into the oven.
- Bake in oven for 15-18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out cleaned. Allow to cool completely before assembling shortcakes.
- For strawberries: In a medium bowl, toss strawberries with sugar and vanilla. Place in a baking dish and roast in oven at 400 F for 12-15 minutes, until softened. After roasting, remove from oven and cool. Zest 1 lemon on top of strawberries and toss so evenly distributed.
- For whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, add heavy cream and mix on medium speed. Add sugar and vanilla, to taste, once you have soft peaks. Increase the speed and whip until medium peaks. Taste and adjust the sugar and vanilla. If you are happy with both, increase the speed and whip until you have stiff peaks. Careful not to over whip! Put in a pastry bag and refrigerate until ready to assemble shortcakes.
- To assemble shortcakes: Take cooled shortcake and slice in half with serrated knife. Spoon roasted strawberries with juices on the bottom half of the shortcake. Place the top half on top of strawberries and pipe or spoon a generous amount of whipped cream on top. You can spoon another generous amount of strawberries on top of the whipped cream, if you’d like.
- Enjoy!
Today is National English Muffin day and, of course, I made English Muffins from scratch! Turns out, they are incredibly easy to make and the flavor is sooo amazing! Not to knock any store bought brand of English muffin, but using high quality ingredients such as King Arthur flour and Kerrygold butter, gives these beauties such amazing flavor! I cooked them in my Lodge cast iron and then toasted them in my Breville oven. I will definitely be making these over and over again! Will be trying them out with the crab cake eggs benedict soon!
Nicole Marlow 