Recipes
Strawberry Basil Shortcakes|Weston Table

Sweet Things

Strawberry Basil Shortcakes
Who doesn't look forward to summer's first of the season strawberries? Bright red sunshine-kissed berries marry well with many flavors. This riff on classic profiterole style "shortcakes" includes strawberries tossed in a Bacanha organic lime syrup and lime syrup-infused pillowy mounds of whipped cream piled between light and airy choux pastry-based puffs. 
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cuisine American
difficulty Moderate
season Summer
serves 12

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 quart strawberries, diced
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons Bacanha Organic Basil Syrup
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons superfine sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
  2. Combine the water, butter, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan, heat until the butter has melted, and bring to a rolling boil.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously.
  4. Return the pan to the burner and cook over medium heat, stirring all the while, until the mixture smooths out and follows the spoon around the pan; this should take less than a minute.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat, and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes. It will still feel hot, but you should be able to hold a finger in it for a few seconds. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the temperature should be below 125°F.
  6. In a bowl, beat the eggs and add to the cooled dough — about one egg's worth at a time, vigorously stirring between additions until they are fully incorporated and the pastry is smooth. 
  7. Using a generously filled tablespoon cookie scoop, or a level muffin scoop, drop the thick batter onto the prepared baking sheets in 3- to 4-tablespoon mounds. Space the mounds about 3" apart, to allow for expansion.
  8. Bake the pastries for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 25 minutes, until pastries are a medium golden brown. Don't open the oven door while the pastries are baking.
  9. Remove the pastries from the oven. Make a small slit in the top of each, and return them to the oven for 5 minutes, to allow the steam to escape. Place them on a rack to cool. When they are cool enough to handle, split each in half to make top and bottom pieces; splitting and exposing the centers to air will help keep them from becoming soggy.
  10. Just before serving, add 1/3 cup Bacanha organic basil syrup to the strawberries and let infuse while making the whipped cream.
  11. Add the cream to the bowl of an electric stand mixer and whip the cream until just barely stiff. Add 2 tablespoons of the Bacanha basil syrup and the sugar and continue whipping the cream until soft, pillowy peaks form.
  12. Just before serving,  add the berries to the bottom half of the puff and top with a mound of whipped cream. Top with the other half of the puff. Continue until all puffs are filled. Pass extra strawberries and cream at the table.
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