RED, WHITE, AND BLUEBERRY SHORTCAKE

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID, the Fourth of July was always my favorite holiday. We’d spend it out at my grandma’s farm and head over to the tribal reservations to buy fireworks to set off as soon as the dusky sky turned dark. Berry shortcakes were a must for dessert—berries grew like weeds around the farm, and the shortcakes were so simple to make (and, of course, had those red, white, and blue colors for the holiday). I don’t sweeten the coconut cream because the fruit itself tends to be quite sweet, but if you want to whisk in a teaspoon of agave or sugar, go right ahead. You can easily double or triple this recipe for a crowd: vegan or not, it’s always a big hit. And really, the worst-case scenario is you’ll have leftover berries to use in your morning yogurt or oatmeal, and biscuits to toast with some butter.

½ pound fresh blueberries

1 cup sugar

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ pound fresh strawberries

1 (15-ounce) can coconut cream, chilled in the fridge overnight, then placed in the freezer 20 minutes before using (see here)

2 tablespoons coconut cream powder (see Chef’s Note)

2 vanilla beans, sliced down the middle, seeds scraped out and reserved, pod discarded

4 Genesee Biscuits (here), sliced in half

1. Place a large mixing bowl in the freezer.

2. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the blueberries, ½ cup of the sugar, and ¼ cup of the lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and chill in the fridge. Repeat the process with the strawberries, the remaining ½ cup of sugar, and the remaining ¼ cup of lemon juice.

3. Remove the mixing bowl from the freezer and place the coconut cream, coconut cream powder, and seeds from the vanilla bean in the bowl, whisking by hand until fully combined. Using an electric mixer, whip on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until the cream has a little more than doubled in size. Using the whisk, dip it and pull up, and the mixture should come to a soft peak; if not, mix for an additional minute and test again. When finished, transfer the mixture to a cold serving bowl.

4. Place the sliced biscuits on a platter or large serving plate and serve with the berries and cream. Allow your guests to assemble their own shortcakes.

CHEF’S NOTE: Coconut cream powder is dried coconut cream, and can be found at most Asian grocery stores. I add a little to the coconut cream to give it more lift and to help it hold its shape longer, but if you can’t find it, just leave it out and whip up your coconut cream right before serving it. Frozen berries can be substituted when fresh ones are not available or in season.