a carrot and a cupcake

Strawberry Shortcake with Chocolate Chunk Biscuits

After a busy Sunday, the whole family was going to be together for dinner.  It was an easy one - pulled pork made in the crock pot, sweet potato fries and an arugula salad with skillet toasted croutons - but I wanted to finish the meal with a delicious dessert.  I also didn't want to run to the store so I started scrounging around the kitchen.  I had a huge container of berries and whipping cream in the fridge and the pantry was stocked with everything else I needed to make Strawberry Shortcake. 

I adapted a favorite recipe for green onion biscuits, taking out the savory elements of course, to make the perfect, sweet base for this dessert.  Biscuits can be made very quickly.  Flour, sugar, baking powder and salt are mixed with whipping cream to form dough which is then baked for a short time in a hot oven.  To make the biscuits more interesting, I added a heaping quarter cup of chopped chocolate to the flour mixture and stirred vanilla into the whipping cream.  Had I been thinking, I would have added a bit of orange zest as well. 

Bob and I thought the biscuits had just the right amount of chocolate, but the kids were divided:  some thought it needed more chocolate and some thought it needed a different kind of chocolate (I'd used dark, they would prefer milk).  My advice?  Pick what your family likes best. 

Once you have the biscuits, use your imagination to finish the shortcakes.  Split the biscuits, then spoon on your choice of sweetened berries.  Top with vanilla ice cream, lightly sweetened whipped cream or even some sweetened homemade ricotta.  You really can't go wrong with this summertime dessert.

A second version made with milk chocolate, orange zest and buttermilk (instead of whipping cream ) is in the oven.  Stay tuned for drop bisucit variation on this recipe!

Strawberry Shortcake with Chocolate Chunk Biscuits

For Biscuits

• 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (if you use more chocolate, you may need a tablespoon or two more whipping cream to get the right consistency with the dough)
• 1 cup whipping cream, cold
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons (about) turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 450.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment.

Combine dry ingredients;  whisk to blend.  Add chocolate.  Make a well in center of dry ingredients.  Pour in whipping cream.  Stir just until all dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board.  Pat into a 5-6 inch round.  Using a long sharp knife, cut into six triangles.  Transfer to parchment lined baking sheet, spacing a few inches apart.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until browned.  Cool.

For Serving

• 2 cups sliced strawberries or raspberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar or vanilla sugar
• 1 cup of whipping cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon sugar, or vanilla ice cream (I also thought about using a dollop of homemade ricotta)

Sprinkle berries with sugar.  Let stand for about 30 minutes.  You can adjust the amount of sugar to suit your tastes and the sweetness of the berries.

Split each biscuit.  Spoon berries over bottom half.  Top with the rest of the biscuit.  Top with a scoop of whipping cream, ice cream or ricotta.

 

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Are you looking for a great gift for a recent college grad?  Our long-time babysitter is graduating this weekend with a joint degree in pharmacy and business.  She’ll be moving to North Carolina this summer for a one year pharmaceutical internship.  We have known Cindy since she was twelve – she started babysitting for our two year old daughter after we moved to Sauganash in 2000.  Now, Cindy is 24, our baby is almost 15 and our family has grown to include a few more lovely children.  All of them adore Cindy.  I wanted to get her a special gift to help her start her official life as an adult.  I settled on a beautiful, heavy skillet and a Wustof chef knife.  I didn’t think most young adults would splurge on good cookware and, while you certainly don’t need beautiful equipment to cook delicious food, it can help. 

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I’d love to tell you that my passion for cooking has led me to raise four healthy kids who will eat anything I put in front of them.  It would be nice to write about how my children are eager to try to any recipe and that they rush through the door excited to try to latest stew full of spices and vegetables. 

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Local Goods Chicago Hosts the Chicago Food Swap

I wasn't able to attend last Sunday's Chicago Food Swap at Local Goods Chicago as a swapper, but I did drop by to take a few pictures for The Sounds, our neighborhood newspaper.  As usual, this swap had a tempting variety of homemade items.  Laura from Local Goods did an amazing job arranging her charming store to accommodate all of the eager participants.  I was more than alittle jealous that I was only there as a spectator!  This article will be published in the April 20th issue of The Sounds.  For additional recaps and to learn more about The Chicago Food Swap, please visit their Facebook page or website.

By the way, I'll be taking the Canning for Newbies class from The Scrumptious Pantry that will be held at Local Goods Chicago on Thursday 4/18.  Anyone care to join me?