Tart and tangy, tastes like spring. Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine.
- 1 c flour
- 1½ t baking powder
- ¼ t salt
- 2/3 c heavy cream plus additional for brushing
- 1 t large crystal brown sugar such as turbinado or Sugar in the Raw
- 6-8 stalks rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ c white sugar
- 2 T unsalted butter
- 1 T sweet sherry (Lustau East Indian Solera is a good choice, and comes in a half bottle), or Sambuca if you like a hint of liquorice
- 1 t cornstarch
- crème fraîche, unflavoured Greek yogurt or whipped cream
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
Lightly butter a baking sheet.
Biscuits
Use your favourite biscuit dough recipe, or:
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in cream just until a dough forms. Gather into a ball and gently knead together once or twice on a lightly floured surface. Do not overwork.
Pat out dough into a 6-inch square (about ½ inch thick). Trim edges with a floured knife and cut into 4 squares. Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake on baking sheet until golden, 15 to 20 minutes, then transfer biscuits to a rack to cool.
Rhubarb filling
While biscuits bake, cook rhubarb with sugar and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit is very tender and falling apart, about 10 minutes.
Whisk together sherry and cornstarch, then add to rhubarb mixture. Simmer, stirring, until mixture is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Split biscuits, top the bottom half with rhubarb mixture and a dollop of whipped cream, then place other half on top.
Makes 6 shortcakes.