Happy First-Monday-After-Spring-Break! Wahoo!
Ya…not so much right?
We had a really fun break around here, didn’t do anything in particular really, just a week full of sleepovers and playdates, miniature golf and rocket launches.
I am pretty sure I sent my children off to school this morning thoroughly exhausted and sugared out.
So I am starting this week off with our Easter dessert.
After a day full of eating candy non-stop my children managed to wolf this down…well all but one, poor Juliette hit her sugar limit about one cadberry egg before this was served. She had a tummy ache and gave her portion to her big brother, who ate both his and hers.
I don’t even know how he did it.
These are amazing. Normal strawberry shortcake is pretty epic stuff but add a variety of berries and {{{gasp}}} lemon curd?! You have got. it. going. on.
I particularly enjoyed the mint, it is best chopped a little and sprinkled over so you can really just have mint essence throughout, so refreshing!
- FOR THE LEMON CURD
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (do NOT use the bottled stuff!!!)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 5 whole eggs, beaten
FOR THE SHORTCAKES- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold butter
- ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 large egg
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM - 2 cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- TO MAKE THE LEMON CURD
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Once the butter has melted, all the lemon zest, juice and sugar. Cook and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Whisking constantly, slowly add the beaten eggs.
- Return to heat and cook until thick and bubbly, about 10-15 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature and store covered in the fridge.
TO MAKE THE SHORTCAKES - Preheat your oven to 350˚
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or use your fingers to smash it in, until it resembles course sand.
- In another small mixing bowl, combine the cream, buttermilk and egg.
- Add to the flour mixture and use a fork to combine but be very careful not overmix! Only mix until the moisture has been taken up by the flour and then turn it out on a clean surface and knead it a couple times.
- Press into a rectangle, about ¾" thick and then cut into 8 squares.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Just prior to serving, make the whipped cream by either using a hand or stand mixer and beat to soft peaks.
- Add the sugar and vanilla and beat to stiff peaks.
TO SERVE - Slice each of the biscuits in half.
- Spoon a little lemon curd down on each plate, top with the bottom half of each biscuit.
- Next spoon a little more lemon curd on top.
- Top with whipped cream and berries and garnish with a sprig of mint or chop it up and sprinkle on top.
Thanks for the shortcake recipe: Nordstrom Family Table Cookbook
- Huckleberry Plum Pie - January 1, 2017
- Fresh Mango Sorbet - July 17, 2016
- Steak Caesar Salad - June 8, 2016
