Inspired by Anne Dimock's recipe for Straight-Up Rhubarb Pie on Food 52
The individual components for the dessert can be made several hours in advance and assembled just before serving. When I served these on Saturday, I halved this recipe and also made a separate strawberry topping for those who wanted a more traditional dessert. I used about a quart of strawberries, and loosely followed this recipe. Most of us opted for open-faced shortcakes with strawberries on one side and rhubarb on the other.
Serves 12
35 minutes preparation time
15 minutes baking time
For the shortcakes:
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup milk
cream for brushing (a tablespoon or less)
For the rhubarb:
5-6 cups rhubarb, trimmed, washed, and diced (about a pound)
1/4 cup sugar
small pinch cinnamon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the whipped cream:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
To make the shortcakes, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl Mix in the butter with your fingers, mashing it into the flour until the mixture is the texture of coarse cornmeal. Slowly stir in the milk a bit at a time, using just enough to get the mixture to hold together. Knead the dough for about a minute. Roll it into a ball and flatten it into a disk.
Flour a work surface and roll the dough out until it is approximately 1/2 inch thick. Cut it into 2-inch rounds (or hearts or diamonds...). After you have cut one batch, re-roll the dough and cut again. When you are left with small scraps, shape them into a final disk. It will be lumpy, but it will still taste good. Arrange the shortcakes on the cookie sheet and brush them with a bit of cream. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, just until the cakes turn a pale gold color. Remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool on a rack.
Toss the rhubarb, sugar, and cinnamon together in a small saucepan. With the lid on, heat the rhubarb over medium-low heat until the rhubarb releases its juices, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and let the mixture simmer until the rhubarb is very soft, about 15 minutes.
To make the cream mixture, whip the heavy cream, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla together until it is the texture of whipped cream.
When they are cool enough to handle, split them horizontally with a large knife. The shortcakes are firm and this is easier to do than it initially seems it will be.
To serve, place the bottom of each shortcake on a platter. Spoon about two tablespoons of the rhubarb mixture on top, and then layer on the whipped cream. Gently place the cake top on the whipped cream.
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