When it comes to a dessert that evokes the fresh flavors of summer, it’s hard to think of anything that tops Strawberry & Rhubarb Shortcake. The combination of sweet, fresh, local strawberries, tart rhubarb and smooth, fluffy whipped cream cannot be beat. Serve on a homemade biscuit and you have a home-run of a summer treat. Not too heavy – and just right on a warm evening.
- 13 Ounces - Flour, all-purpose
- 1½ Ounces - Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon - Kosher salt
- ½ Ounce - Baking powder
- 6 Ounces - Butter, cold and cubed
- 1 Each - Egg
- 1 Each - Egg Yolk
- 8 Ounces - Heavy Cream
- 1 Quart - Strawberries, washed, stemmed and quartered
- 1 Each - Lime, zest and juiced
- 1 Pound - Rhubarb, cleaned and cut into inch pieces
- ½ Cup - Sugar
- ½ Cup - Water
- 1 Teaspoon - Lemon Juice
- 1 Teaspoon - Ginger, freshly grated
- 1 Tablespoon - Grenadine
- 2 Cups - Heavy Cream
- 1 Tablespoon - Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon - Vanilla
- Sift together flour and baking powder in large bowl
- Add sugar and salt and cubed butter
- Working with your hands crumble cold butter into flour until it resembles small peas
- Mix heavy cream and eggs together and add all at once to flour mixture and mix until incorporated
- Place dough on floured work station and knead only ten times, stop no matter how dough looks
- Roll dough out on floured service until ½ inch thickness
- Cut out dough with ring molds and place on slipmat, egg wash tops and bake at 375 oven for 7-12 minutes or until golden and cooked through
- Add ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water to sauce pan and bring to boil, until sugar dissolves to create simple syrup
- Combine ¼ cup of the strawberries, lime juice and zest, ¼ cup simple syrup in blender. Puree until smooth, strain through fine chinois to remove seeds, reserve in squeeze bottle
- Place rhubarb in shallow pan with remainder of simple syrup, lemon juice, grenadine and fresh grated ginger. Over medium/high heat slowly poach rhubarb, 10-12 minutes or until rhubarb is cooked through and soft to touch. Chill rhubarb and reserve
- Whip cream in kitchen aid on high speed with whisk attachment until soft peaks (3-4 minutes), add sugar and vanilla
- Place biscuits in 350 oven for 2 minutes to re-warm. Scoop of strawberries and garnish with berry puree, top with fresh whip cream and finish with warmed biscuit. Scoop rhubarb and garnish with rhubarb poaching liquid, top with fresh whip cream and finish with warmed biscuit. Serve shortcakes side by side.
The Kennebunk Inn’s restaurant, Academe Maine Brasserie & Tavern is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 AM until 9:00 PM serving both lunch and dinner.