Strawberry-Rhubarb Shortcakes

OPEN KITCHEN with NATHAN SCOTT

Strawberry-Rhubarb Shortcakes

If rhubarb is not available, try substituting in fresh blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries.

Ingredients

            Makes 12 shortcakes

	4	cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
	2	tablespoons baking powder
	1	teaspoon kosher salt
	¾	cup granulated sugar
	1	lemon, finely zested and juiced
	2	teaspoons fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
	1	stick, plus 1 tablespoon, unsalted butter, chilled and cut into chunks
	1½	cups milk, plus more for brushing
		Coarse sanding sugar, for garnish
	1	pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ½-inch chunks
	1	tablespoon cornstarch
	1	pound fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
	2	cups heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks (sweetened, as desired)

Directions

1.    Preheat the oven to 475°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  Into a mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together with ¼ cup granulated sugar.  Stir in the lemon zest and mint.  Then, with a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.  Stir in the milk. 

2.    Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and knead just enough for the dough to come together.  Roll the dough out to a ¾-inch thickness and cut into 12 biscuits with a 2½-inch round biscuit cutter (you may need to reroll scraps to get all 12 biscuits).  Arrange the biscuits snuggly together on the prepared baking sheet.  Brush the biscuits with milk and sprinkle with sanding sugar.  Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven until golden, about 10 minutes.  Then, turn the oven off, and allow the biscuits to remain in the oven until cooked through, about 5 minutes more.  Remove and cool completely before serving.

3.    Meanwhile, in a saucepan toss together the rhubarb, cornstarch, remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.  Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the rhubarb is tender, 5 to 6 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the strawberries.  Set aside to cool completely.

4.    When ready to serve, split each biscuit in half.  Spoon some of the strawberry-rhubarb mixture onto each bottom half of the biscuits, dollop with whipped cream, and top with the top halves of the biscuits.  Serve immediately.