STRAWBERRY-BASIL SHORTCAKE SLIDERS
One Saturday in May, we procured 4 quarts of strawberries at the market; it was time to do something interesting with them, so we started dreaming. This idea came to us, and like a shortcake freight train, could not be stopped even by the threat of late-night tornadic activity, which is par for the course every Memphis spring. We ran out to pick up our basil and cream and had this dessert made and devoured before one of us fell fast asleep in the safest spot, the hallway, amongst storm sirens and wind.
And it sure was worth it.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cane sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
⅔ cup heavy cream, divided
Basil Compound Butter (recipe follows)
Strawberry Jam (recipe follows)
1 cup strawberries (small dice)
Fresh basil (to garnish)
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and then cut in the butter until there’s a coarse crumb. Add the egg and ⅓ cup of the cream, and stir gently. Use a small, 1-tablespoon ice-cream scoop to portion out hearty, mini clumps of dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Let the shortcakes cool for a bit, and then split them.
In a medium bowl whip the remaining ⅓ cup of the cream until it is slightly stiff, about 4 minutes. Put a small dollop of the whipped cream on the plate, and place the bottom half of the split shortcake on top. Spread ¼ teaspoon of basil butter on the shortcake, and then spread a teaspoon of warm strawberry jam. Add a teaspoon of fresh strawberries and one more dollop of the whipped cream. Place the top of the shortcake on the stack.
Garnish each slider with a small leaf or two of fresh basil.
Makes 15 small shortcakes, about 6 servings.
BASIL COMPOUND BUTTER
¼ cup loose-packed fresh basil leaves
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
Mix the basil and butter in a small food processor or by mincing the basil and stirring in the butter. Set aside in fridge until you’re ready to plate the shortcakes.
Makes 2 tablespoons.
2 cups sliced strawberries
⅓ cup cane sugar
Juice from ½ lemon, and one long strip of its peel
Pinch of iodized sea salt
In a medium saucepan combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt. Mash with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Cook on medium-low heat for an hour or until the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency. Stir it often. Remove the peel and discard. Set aside to cool.
Makes 1 cup.