Dani Goes South

In today's episode of "things my mom tells me to do about food", we have strawberry shortcake. I am not in the practice of not taking my mom's advice, and she's been telling me how much I "NEED" to make strawberry shortcake with Bon Appetit's shortcake recipe for about a year. Not unlike me in my teen years, it took a minute for me to get around to taking her advice, but when I did, everything instantly fell into place, because these bad boys are *clap* that *clap* good *final clap*. It's also fitting that this recipe comes just in time for Mother's Day, because well, I'm partial, but my mom just so happens to be the absolute best.

Let's talk shortcake. This could not be a farther cry from that produce section "angel food cake" gar-bazhe that seems to sneak its way into many a casual function. Listen, I'm not saying it's the worst; I'm simply saying we can totally do waaaay better, and it's not even that hard. These shortcakes are tender, have that perfectly crunchy, sugary texture on top, with an unexpected added delicious layer of texture from cornmeal. I posted on my Instagram stories yesterday that these call for 2 hard boiled egg yolks, which is literally the only fussy step of this whole shebang. I say, throw a few extra eggs in your pot, and call it meal prep. Multitasking: The thing no one's really that good at, but everyone claims to be pretty good at... Am I right, or am I right?

In a food processor, combine your two flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and egg yolks, and pulse a few times to combine. Add your cold butter, and pulse until it's in pea-sized pieces. Slowly, drizzle in 2/3 cups of your heavy cream as you pulse the machine. Just pulse until the dough barely combines. Turn your dough out onto a very lightly floured surface, and lightly knead until combined into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 25 minutes.

In a food processor, combine your two flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and egg yolks, and pulse a few times to combine. Add your cold butter, and pulse until it's in pea-sized pieces. Slowly, drizzle in 2/3 cups of your heavy cream as you pulse the machine. Just pulse until the dough barely combines. Turn your dough out onto a very lightly floured surface, and lightly knead until combined into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 25 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large bowl, add your halved/quartered strawberries, along with 1/3 a cup of sugar, and the juice of half a lemon. Toss to combine, then cover, and refrigerate.

To a parchment-lined baking sheet, add your dough, in 1/3 cup scoops, rolling them into a ball with your hands, and slightly flattening the bottoms as you set them down. Alternatively, you can use a 2 oz ice cream scoop, but mine just happened to be dirty, which is just really a window into our ice cream consumption around here. Brush the tops of your shortcakes with the remaining 2 tbs cream, and give each one a healthy dusting of sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes. I believe mine were right at 26.

Make your whipped cream. Add 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1/2 a teaspoon vanilla extract. Whip until peaks form, but it's still soft and not over-whipped. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

These are truly the most tender, perfectly crumbly, buttery, sugary shortcakes. Seriously, simplicity times one HUNDO. Who the hell doesn't love a warm shortcake, with bright, juicy, summery berries and freshly whipped cream? Do you know them? Disown them immediately. Love your mom, do something nice, take your vitamins, make these shortcakes - all things you should do, forever and ever, amen. I think your mom would agree.

This recipe was sponsored by my mom, who literally has sponsored my life. Happy impending mother's day to all!

Strawberry Shortcakes

(Shortcake recipe from Bon Appetit)

Serves 6

For the Shortcakes

2 hard-boiled egg yolks, cooled

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

3 tbs fine ground cornmeal, or semolina flour

1 tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbs granulated sugar

6 tbs unsalted butter, chilled, cut into pieces