Not a chance anyone can resist this make-your-own shortcake dessert board stacked with homemade biscuits, whipped cream and loads of fruit and berries.
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 oz unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (1 stick)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup heavy cream + 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp turbinado sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 pints blueberries, raspberries or blackberries
- 1 pint bing cherries, pitted
- 3 peaches, pitted and sliced
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Whisk together the flours, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the butter and mix with your fingers until you have coarse meal.
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Stir in the buttermilk and 1/3 cup heavy cream until just combined.
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Turn the dough onto a lightly flour surface and knead until the dough just comes together.
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Lightly roll the dough to 1 inch thickness and cut out rounds with a 2 inch cookie cutter (flat or scalloped edge). Be sure you don't twist the cutter, just press down and pull up to insure that you get a good rise. Gently gather and reform the scraps to cut the remaining biscuits. You should have 10 biscuits altogether.
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Place biscuits on the prepared sheet at least 1 inch apart. Brush with the remaining cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
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Bake until risen and golden, about 20-22 mins. Cool on a wire rack.
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While the biscuits are baking, toss the berries and fruit with sugar and mint let stand at room temperature.
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Whip the heavy cream with a whisk or with the whip attachment of an electric mixer until you have soft peaks.
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Gradually add the sugar while continuing to whip and then pour in the vanilla. Continue whipping until you have stiff peaks.
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Arrange the fruit and berries in bowls or place directly on a large cutting board or platter. Spoon the whipped cream into a bowl and place in the center. Pile the biscuits around the berries and scatter mint sprigs decoratively around. Serve immediately.
- Start with your stars (fresh, ripe berries) and the bigger items and build around them.
- Choose a theme, color profile or a seasonal dessert with lots of mix and match options.
- Use different shapes, sizes and textures. Sugar topped biscuits, piles of brightly colored berries, fruit wedges or slices, and green herbs make for an eye-catching board.
- Springs of mint are great at filling in empty spaces, bringing in a contrasting color, while adding an herbaceous element to a sweet spread.
- Use little bowls or pieces of parchment for wet or juicy items and don't forget small spoons or tongs for serving.
- Think out of the box by adding savory herbs like lemon thyme or basil that complement the fruit you're serving.