If ever we needed some sweetness, it’s now, wouldn’t you agree? Oy, it’s been a week (month, couple of years). Let’s brighten things up with this light and happy recipe for Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake with Pistachios and Pepper. It’s the perfect summer dessert, and it has, I think, great potential to bring a little delight to whomever you choose to share it with.
You all know I love to mess with a classic. It’s just fun to take something that’s no-brainer scrumptious as it is, and then amp it up with unexpected ingredients. This experiment was a good one. Per tradition, juicy strawberries are piled atop light, buttery, slightly sweet biscuits and big dollops of cream. The tweaks come in the form of zesty vinegar, crunchy toasted nuts, and … wait for it … a sprinkle of black pepper. Unexpected? Yes. Delicious? I dare you to make it and find out (spoiler: also yes).
When I was doing research for this recipe, I had an epiphany: shortcakes are pretty much just scones! I’d never thought about it. But the ingredients are exactly the same: flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, butter, cream. So essentially this is my basic scone recipe, prettied up for dessert. If you’re feeling extra nutty, you could even make it with my my Pistachio Scones (just leave out the apple). Feel free to serve it for breakfast or brunch, too, and tell your guests it’s a special scone served with berries and cream. It’s all in how you sell it, people.
Balsamic vinegar and strawberries are a happy pairing, with the strong tang of the vinegar contrasting with the sweetness of the berries in a way that makes their flavor really pop. A modest amount of sugar helps the berries stay in dessert territory. Buy the deepest, reddest strawberries available to you, and use the best aged vinegar you can find. A couple of grinds of dark, black pepper in the mix might sound weird, I know! But the pepper adds a really pleasant, subtly spicy nuance.
If you’re pressed for time you can use canned whipped cream. However, freshly whipped cream is pretty easy to make, and far superior superior in flavor and texture (a lot of canned whipped creams are sickly sweet and weirdly waxy). Plus, you can control the sweetness by adding sugar according to your own taste. Here, I prefer it on the fresher, less-sweet side in order to let the strawberries shine.
Just before serving, sprinkle on some pistachios, which are satisfyingly crunchy and salty and a perfect complement to the richness of the cream and shortcakes.
I encourage you to eat this dessert gleefully, in giant forkfuls, if only as a counterbalance some of the yuck out there. And please, share it with someone – or several other someones – who could also use a little taste of joy.
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Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake with Pistachios and Pepper
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
Description
Sweet, tangy, crunchy, salty – hit all the pleasure centers in one towering dessert.
Ingredients
SHORTCAKES
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 TB baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 8 TB (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 – 1 cup heavy cream (plus more for brushing – optional)
BERRIES
- 1 quart fresh ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
Instructions
SHORTCAKES
- Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the shortcake dough: In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, baking powder, and salt and mix or whisk until combined.
- Add the cold butter chunks and, using the mixer on low or cutting in by hand with a pastry cutter, combine until butter is the size of small peas.
- Blend in the sugar until it’s evenly distributed.
- Add 3/4 cup of cream and mix until soft dough begins to form. If the dough seems dry, add a little more cream (a tablespoon at a time) until a soft but firm consistency is attained. Try to handle the dough as little as possible to avoid over-working (which can result in tough shortcakes).
- Form dough into a rough ball and transfer to a floured surface. Pat into a square about 3/4 inch thick.
- Using a sharp knife, cut dough into thirds, then in thirds again to create nine sections. If you prefer round shortcakes, use a large biscuit cutter or cookie cutter.
- If desired, brush tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with a little granulated or demerara sugar (aka raw sugar).
- Transfer the shortcakes to the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each. Bake at 425° for 18-20 mins, until bottoms are evenly browned and tops are beginning to turn golden.
- Transfer to a baking rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.
While the shortcakes are baking, prepare the berries.
- Place the sliced berries in a medium bowl, toss with the sugar, and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and freshly ground black pepper to taste (I like a good amount, for a discernible kick), and mix gently but thoroughly.
Just before serving, assemble the shortcakes: slice each cake lengthwise and top one half with a dollop of whipped cream followed by a generous spoonful of berries. Carefully place the second shortcake half on top and add more cream and berries.
Sprinkle the tops of each shortcake with chopped pistachios and serve.
Notes
… you’ll find that as the berries sit in the sugar/vinegar, they’ll produce a gooey syrup at the bottom of the bowl. You can drizzle a bit more of this over your shortcakes, serve it over ice cream, or get creative and blend it with seltzer water (and vodka, perhaps!) for a refreshing spritzer.
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