Strawberry Cornmeal Shortcakes
By Erika BrucePublished on February 27, 2017
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Strawberries
2 pounds strawberries, hulled and sliced thin (5 cups)¼ cup (1¾ ounce/50 grams) sugar, plus extra as needed2 teaspoons lemon juice ⅛ teaspoon saltShortcakes
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour ½ cup (2½ ounces/71 grams) stone-ground cornmeal ¼ cup (1¾ ounce/50 grams) plus 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon salt ⅔ cup buttermilk, chilled1 large egg 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooledWhipped Cream
1 ½ cups heavy cream, chilled4 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extractBefore You Begin
Because the sweetness level of strawberries can vary, taste the macerated berries and add up to 2 tablespoons of extra sugar, if needed. While the shortcakes are best served warm, the cooled cakes can be stored in a zipper-lock bag at room temperature for 24 hours. They will lose some of their crispness, but you can bring it back by warming them in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes.
Instructions
- Gently toss all ingredients together in bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Taste strawberry mixture for sweetness and add extra sugar if needed.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cornmeal, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and egg in separate bowl until combined; add melted butter and stir until butter forms clumps.
- Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated. Lightly spray 1/3-cup dry measuring cup with vegetable oil spray. Stagger 8 level portions of batter on prepared sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle tops with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until shortcakes are golden brown, about 14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer shortcakes to wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes.
- Split each shortcake in half horizontally. Spoon 1/2 cup strawberry mixture over each shortcake bottom, followed by 1/3 cup whipped cream; top with shortcake tops. Serve, passing any remaining whipped cream separately.
for the strawberries
for the shortcakes
for the whipped cream
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Strawberries
Shortcakes
Whipped Cream
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Strawberries
Shortcakes
Whipped Cream
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Strawberries
Shortcakes
Whipped Cream
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For this summer classic, the addition of cornmeal to the biscuits produced not only a sweet, nutty flavor but also a delicate crunch, which nicely offset the tender berry-and-cream filling. We gently tossed thinly sliced strawberries with a bit of sugar and let the mixture sit until the strawberries had released their juice and created a sweet syrup. Some bright lemon juice and a bit of salt enhanced the fresh berry flavor. We were careful not to add too much cornmeal to the biscuits to keep them light and airy; a 1:3 ratio of cornmeal to flour worked best. We also relied on a proven test kitchen trick: We combined melted butter with cold buttermilk before stirring it into the dry ingredients. The butter clumps in the buttermilk, and the clumps then create steam during baking to produce light, airy biscuits.
Before You Begin
Because the sweetness level of strawberries can vary, taste the macerated berries and add up to 2 tablespoons of extra sugar, if needed. While the shortcakes are best served warm, the cooled cakes can be stored in a zipper-lock bag at room temperature for 24 hours. They will lose some of their crispness, but you can bring it back by warming them in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes.
Instructions
- Gently toss all ingredients together in bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Taste strawberry mixture for sweetness and add extra sugar if needed.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cornmeal, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and egg in separate bowl until combined; add melted butter and stir until butter forms clumps.
- Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated. Lightly spray 1/3-cup dry measuring cup with vegetable oil spray. Stagger 8 level portions of batter on prepared sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle tops with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until shortcakes are golden brown, about 14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer shortcakes to wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes.
- Split each shortcake in half horizontally. Spoon 1/2 cup strawberry mixture over each shortcake bottom, followed by 1/3 cup whipped cream; top with shortcake tops. Serve, passing any remaining whipped cream separately.
for the strawberries
for the shortcakes
for the whipped cream
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
0 Comments