American Berry Shortcakes
Shortcakes are the perfect summer dessert: light, refreshing, and a showcase for all the season’s beautiful produce. In this version, I pair my favorite lemon shortcakes with macerated berries and apple stars for a fantastic 4th of July treat. However, you can substitute equal amounts of any of your favorite produce (peaches and blueberries are a great alternative).
There’s nothing too complicated about this recipe, but I will say that it helps to use a round cookie cutter for evenly shaping your shortcakes. You also want to allow your cakes to cool completely before cutting. This just makes cutting easier and preserves your fluffy whipped cream, which will melt if the cakes are warm. Finally allow the fruit to macerate in the sugar and lemon juice for about 30 minutes before eating to give you that classic, sweet berry sauce to drizzle over your shortcakes.
This is a great dessert to serve for any lacto-vegetarians or folks with egg allergies since there’s no egg at all. Rather than detracting from the dessert, the lack of eggs makes the shortcake very delicate and tender, perfect for absorbing that deliciously sweet berry juice. The entire recipe is best eaten the day it’s made, but you can store the individual components (berries and cream in the fridge and shortcakes at room temperature in an airtight container) for a day if needed. Just serve immediately after assembling.
American Berry Shortcakes- Makes 8-9
Lemon Shortcakes:
Equipment:
Circle Cookie Cutter (2.5-3in.)
Baking Sheet
Microplane for zesting
Rolling Pin
Pastry brush
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 TBS. baking powder
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 TBS. cold unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
Zest of one lemon
Coarse sugar and cream for topping
Method:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF, and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and lemon zest in a medium bowl and sift together with a fork. Cut in the butter to make a sandy consistency. Add the heavy whipping cream and mix together until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and knead together gently until the dough is a workable ball (about 1 minute or less).
Gently roll the dough out until it’s about 1 inch thick. Use the cookie cutter to cut 8-9 round circles of dough. Transfer the circles to the prepared baking sheet, making sure to space them evenly apart. Use a pastry brush to gently coat the top of each shortcake with cream and a generous sprinkling of coarse sugar.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until puffed and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cool completely before splitting.
Macerated American Berries:
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 apple
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Method:
Combine the strawberries, blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl and stir gently. Set aside to macerate while you make the apple stars.
Cut the apple into 1 inch thick cross sections. Using a very sharp knife or a very tiny star shaped cookie cutter, cut out several small stars from each cross section. Be sure to avoid the seeds. Immediately put each star into the bowl with the berries and gently stir. The lemon juice will prevent the apples from browning. Set aside and allow the fruit to macerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Whipped Cream
Equipment:
Handheld electric mixer
Ingredients:
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
1-2 TBS. sugar (to taste)
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish
Method:
Combine the heavy cream and sugar in a large, high rimmed bowl. Use the electric mixer to beat the cream on high for several minutes until stiff peaks form.
Assemble the shortcakes. Cut the cakes in half like a burger bun. Place the bottom half in a serving dish. Top with a generous portion of macerated berries and plenty of their sweet juice. Add a healthy dollop of whipped cream, and then rest the top shortcake on top. Garnish with a mint sprig and serve immediately.
Recipe adapted from Sharing the Table at Garland’s Lodge
