SERVES 6
While strawberry season in Nantucket is brief, when it’s here the berries are amazing—small, sweet, and intensely flavored—so we put shortcake on the menu every night while we can get these beauties. It isn’t fancy, but I think this nostalgic dessert is still one that everyone loves. I like to be playful with the syrup that the strawberries are tossed in, which changes based on what the farms have—lavender, angelica, and fresh chamomile are favorites. Lavender, however, gets quite a bit of play as it grows rampant at my house.
FOR THE SHORTCAKES
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
FOR THE WHIPPED CRÈME FRAÎCHE
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup crème fraîche
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 cup Lavender Syrup (recipe follows)
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
Fresh lavender flowers (optional)
TO MAKE THE SHORTCAKES: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar.
Mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and with a pastry cutter or your hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it has the texture of coarse cornmeal with some pea-sized bits. Stir in the buttermilk. Once combined, place the dough on a floured surface; flatten it with floured hands to a 6-by-9-inch rectangle to a generous 1-inch thickness and, using a chef’s knife, cut into six 3-by-3-inch squares.
Place the squares on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the heavy cream and sprinkle with the remaining raw sugar. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops are just beginning to turn golden in spots. Transfer to a wire rack.
TO MAKE THE WHIPPED CRÈME FRAÎCHE: Using a mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, crème fraîche, and sugar until light and fluffy. Chill until ready to use.
Pour the lavender syrup over the strawberries. Let them sit for 10 minutes.
Cut the shortcakes in half horizontally, layer them with the strawberries and syrup, and top with the whipped crème fraîche. Garnish with fresh lavender flowers if desired. Serve immediately.
MAKES 1½ CUPS
INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
8 sprigs fresh lavender
Combine the water, sugar, and lavender sprigs in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely; strain the lavender out of the syrup.
NOTE: If fresh lavender is not available, you can substitute another herb (tarragon, for example), or go in another direction and use a split vanilla bean. You can also use a few strips of lemon, orange, or lime zest to flavor the syrup.
