Strawberry Shortcake with Basil Recipe
Uncle Andrew...there from the very
beginning.Last
weekend, we celebrated Father’s Day with all the necessary cards, salutations
on Facebook, telephone calls filled with praise for Dear Old Dad. I know how much it meant to me and how much
I admire the Dad in my own family who is raising one spectacular grandson. And how spectacular is he? Well, at age almost 4, he came to visit Uncle
Andrew and me for Father’s Day two years ago.
As he proudly handed me an oversized There for Mason always.
Father’s Day card, he turned to his
mother and said “There really ought to be an Uncle Andrew’s Day”. And well there should be. When I think of how much Uncle Andrew does
for Mason, the grandson in question, and then when I multiply it out for a
lifetime of giving to his nieces and nephews and god children, there likely
should an Uncle Andrew month. Then, when
I think of all the other uncles –the Terrys, the Shawns, the Jeffs, the Dons,
the Michaels, the Jims, the Hueys, the Bills and the Peters—this ought to be a
national holiday. Add to them all the single Moms –the Annas, the Cindys, the
Zoilas--who are both mother and father to their children and Father’s Day just
does not cover all the people it takes to raise a child. So here’s to all of you on Uncle Andrew’s
Day! And what better way to celebrate
than with a cake!
Granted there’s no holiday in it for
Uncle Andrew. In our house, he bakes the cake, which, all told, takes a total
of 8 hours and 40 minutes to make.
Mercifully, the prep time is just 30 of those minutes but still… However, this cake rewards its baker with a
luscious, fresh berry-filling in a buttery shortcake that’s topped with the
aroma of fresh basil leaves. Dip your
fork into the whipped cream topping and savor the flavor of fresh basil whipped
cream! Turns out Strawberries and Basil,
like Strawberries and Balsamic, were made for each other. And that’s just about
the taste. The look of the cake is equal
to the flavors, those green basil leaves against the white and red background
of cream and berries is Instagram-worthy.
So make this cake this weekend and celebrate Uncle Andrew’s Day with
your favorite uncles. They deserve every bite on their own
special day.
Recipe for Strawberry Shortcake with Basil from Martha Stewart Serves 8.
Takes 30 minutes to prep and 8 hours and 40 minutes of cooling and
cooking.
- 2 1/4 cups cold heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons, for brushing
- 20 large basil leaves, plus 1/3 cup small or torn basil leaves
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more if needed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small
- pieces
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 1/2 cups sliced strawberries (1 pound 4 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- Bring 1 1/2 cups cream to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over
- medium heat. Bruise large basil leaves by hitting repeatedly with the dull side
- of a knife, and stir into cream. Remove from heat, cover tightly with plastic
- wrap, and let steep for 25 minutes.
- 2.
- Strain through a fine sieve, pressing
- solids to extract liquid. Refrigerate until very cold, at least 5 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together flour, 3 tablespoons
- granulated sugar, the baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cut in butter with
- a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers. (The largest pieces should be the
- size of small peas.)
- Whisk together 3/4 cup heavy cream, the eggs, and vanilla. Stir into
- flour using a fork until ingredients are moistened but not fully incorporated.
- (Do not overmix.)
- Turn dough out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and pat into a 9
- 1/2-inch circle. Brush dough with remaining 2 tablespoons heavy cream, and
- sprinkle with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
- 6.
- Bake until light golden brown and just cooked through, about 25
- minutes. Let cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, macerate strawberries with remaining 1/4 cup sugar, plus
- more if needed, depending on sweetness of the berries, stirring occasionally, for at least 1
- hour.
- Toss berries with small basil leaves. Whisk basil cream with
- confectioners' sugar in the chilled bowl of a mixer on high speed until soft
- peaks form. Mound basil cream on shortcake. Spoon berries with juice over top.
- Shortcake is best served within 4 hours of baking but can be stored,
- untopped, at room temperature for up to 8 hours. Basil cream can be
- refrigerated for up to 1 day; whip just before using. Berries can macerate for
up to 3 hours.