Buckwheat Strawberry Shortcakes

I have that jittery anxious feeling in my stomach today. I used to get it the night before summer camp or exciting school field trips. I have it today because I’m starting my last 1o weeks of classes in a few hours.

I think this quarter is going to be the quarter when I learn the most.  I’m taking three classes: Advanced Patisserie and Display Cakes; Chocolates, Confections and Showpieces; and Food Styling.  Although I’m going to miss the bag of bread I used to bring home every week, I’m looking forward to using more of my creativity and artistic skills to make beautiful, delicious things.

Ok, I’m writing too much!  I have to pack up my knife kit and get on the Metro.  But before I do, let me say something about these shortcakes.  They are so, so good.  The biscuits are made with heavy cream so they’re soft and rich.  The buckwheat gives them a nutty, earthy flavor that the sweet, juicy strawberries balance perfectly.  And don’t you dare skip the whipped cream.

from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich

Shortcakes

1 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons buckwheat flour
1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing

Filling

2-3 pints strawberries, washed, dried, hulled, and sliced
Sugar to taste
1 1/4 cup heavy cream (although since I didn’t eat the whole batch at once, I just whipped cream as I needed it)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Make a well in the center and pour cream into it. Use a rubber spatula to push the dry ingredients into the cream, with a folding motion, just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The dough will look shaggy.
3. Gather the dough into a ball and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead once or twice just until loose pieces of dough come together. Pat dough into a 6×6 inch square.  Trim edges with a sharp knife and a firm downward motion (this helps the biscuits rise more).  Cut into 9 smaller squares.
4. Place them 1 inch apart on baking sheet and brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Bake biscuits until they are golden brown, 12-15 minutes.  Remove from sheet and cool on wire rack.
6. While biscuits are baking, whip cream in a chilled bowl (sweeten slightly if desired with granulated or powdered sugar) and reserve in refrigerator. If it separates a little, just whisk gently before serving.
7. Sweeten sliced berries if desired.
8. To assemble, slice each shortcake in half and place bottom half on a plate.  Spoon a generous amount of berries making sure everyone gets some juice.  Plop some whipped cream on top of berries and place top half of biscuit on the cream.  This dessert is so beautiful and fresh tasting!  You will love it.

Rhubarb Cream Cheese Pie with Strawberries

I just got back from an incredible trip to New York with John and my parents.  Our reason for traveling there was to see my brother graduate from college.  I, however, had a secret mission to visit as many bakeries as possible.

My brother successfully walked across the stage, and I successfully stuffed my face with baked goods.  We went to bakeries all over the city.  If there was a baguette or a biscuit in the window of a shop between Brooklyn and the Bronx, I was there.  I tried bread sticks, cookies, croissants, pies and muffins.  Ironically, I found my favorite place on the same block as my brother’s apartment in Williamsburg.

The Blue Stove is a vintage-y coffee shop and bakery that specializes in pies.  I was in the city for four days and visited this place three times.  They had rich bacon and caramelized onion quiche, creative little hand pies filled with pears and blue cheese and big blueberry muffins.  I ended up buying three pies because they make them in a mini size, and who can resist bringing one of those home with your coffee.

Before we left on this trip I made my first pie of the summer.  I had been drooling over all the rhubarb recipes I was seeing and couldn’t wait to decide on one when I finally found some of the bright pink stalks at the farmers’ market.

The chunky rhubarb filling is a delicious surprise under the creamy cheese custard, and the fresh strawberries on top are a must.  I think the pie is best served chilled, which is perfect for the steamy days ahead.

from Rustic Fruit Desserts

1 9″ pie crust, prebaked and cooled

Rhubarb Filling

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and thinly sliced

Custard

12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Topping

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced or halved or whatever you want
confectioners sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl and add the rhubarb.  Toss until evenly coated.
3. Spoon rhubarb mixture into pie crust and bake for 15 minutes, remove pie from oven and turn temperature down to 350°F.
4. Meanwhile, make the custard by beating the cream cheese and sugar in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy.
5. Beat the eggs slightly in a small bowl and add them a little at a time to the cream cheese.  Beat until smooth after each addition and scrape sides of bowl often.  Stir in the vanilla and salt.
6. Pour the custard  into the pie and spread evenly over the rhubarb. Return pie to oven and bake 25-30 minutes.  Custard will puff up and still be slightly wobbly in the center.  Cool to room temperature on wire rack.
7. Pie can be served at room temperature or chilled until ready.  Top with the sliced strawberries and dust with confectioners sugar just before serving.