Strawberry Basil Shortcake
It is June which means it is the start of Strawberry season! In NY we can buy berries all year long, but there is a drastic difference between the berries in the winter and the berries in the early summer. Strawberries in June are deep red throughout, they are extremely juicy and fragrant and they are as sweet as sugar! This easy recipe really showcases summer fruits, and the best part is you can use whatever you have on hand! Use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or fresh or grilled peaches! The basic buttermilk biscuit recipe is super flaky and buttery and if you want savory biscuits you can even leave out the sugar and cinnamon and add chives and cheddar or leave them plain! My strawberry filling is brought to a whole new level with the addition of fresh chopped basil...my favorite smell in the world is basil. I always say if I could walk around with sprigs of basil under my armpits I would ;) My whipped cream filling has a little vanilla and a little almond extract which really compliment the strawberry flavor. This is the perfect 4th of July treat or for any summer night for that matter ;)
Shortcake (Sweet Buttermilk Biscuits)- You can leave out the sugar and vanilla for a delicious savory biscuit! Use them for egg sandwiches, biscuits and gravy and more!
Ingredients-
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
7 tablespoons cold butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
Sugar in the Raw (white sugar is fine too but large granule is better)- All you need is a few teaspoons
Cinnamon (a sprinkle)
Steps-
Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or using an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You want the butter to be tiny pea size pieces in the flour mixture. Make sure the butter is super cold because it will only make the biscuits more flaky.
Make a well in the center of butter and flour mixture. Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla extract; stir until just combined.
Turn dough onto a floured work surface, pat together into a rectangle.
Fold the rectangle in thirds. Turn dough a half turn, gather any crumbs, and flatten back into a rectangle. Repeat twice more, folding and pressing dough a total of three times.
Gently roll dough on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick.
Cut out 10-12 biscuits using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter.
Transfer biscuits to the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops of biscuits with melted butter and sprinkle a decent amount of sugar in the raw on top as well as some ground cinnamon.
Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.
Strawberry Basil Filling
Ingredients-
1 Lb Fresh, Ripe Strawberries sliced in 1/4 inch slices (tops removed)
2-3 Tablespoons Granulated White Sugar
4-5 Basil Leaves Chiffonade (cut into thin ribbons)
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Steps-
Stir together the ingredients and set aside for at least 30-45 mins. You want the juice to slightly extract a little. If it doesn't have enough juices, add a few drops of water.
Vanilla Almond Chantilly Cream- (You can use store-bought whipped cream as well)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Steps-
Whip all the ingredients vigorously with a whisk or use hand beaters or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment until it is fluffy and forms peaks. Do not over whip or it will get grainy or even turn into butter!
To Assemble the Cakes-
Cut each warm biscuit in half, top with a heaping scoop of the strawberry basil mixture, top with the chantilly cream and then place the top of the biscuit on top. You can even place another dollop of cream on top and then sprinkle some toasted slivered almonds over the top.