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Lemon Buttermilk Basil Shortcakes with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries

A touch of lemon peel creates a citrusy zing in these flaky, buttery biscuits. The balsamic roasted strawberries are a new twist on the customary strawberry shortcake filling. Adding the basil to the whipped cream enhances the flavor of the balsamic strawberries in a subtle but surprising way.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

  • 2 ½ cups self-rising flour plus ½ cup for dusting
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 stick butter, frozen and sliced into 16 pieces
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1 cup buttermilk

For the strawberries:

  • 2 pounds ripe strawberries, washed, dried, halved and hulled
  • 1/3 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons sugar

For the whipped cream:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup full fat sour cream (I prefer Breakstone)
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 large basil leaves, cut into a fine chiffonade right before serving(optional)
  • mint for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and put a medium sized mixing bowl in the freezer with the beaters for the hand mixer to chill the bowl before making the whipped cream.
  2. In a large metal bowl combine the flour sugar and butter. With your fingers squeeze the butter into they form pea-sized lumps. You can also use a pastry blender or two knives but the pieces will be more even if you use your fingers. Mix in the lemon zest.
  3. Place the bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  4. Pour in the buttermilk and with a fork, lightly blend it into the butter and flour mixture.
  5. Flour a flat, cold surface, preferably marble. Dump the dough onto the surface and knead for three to five minutes until everything is well combined and there is no flour showing.
  6. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 12 inches long and ½ inches high.
  7. Cut the dough into biscuits with a 3 inch cookie cutter and place them on a parchment –lined baking sheet.
  8. Bake the biscuits for 15 minutes until they are golden brown. If you would like them a little more brown, you can continue to bake them for no more than five more minutes.
  9. Remove the biscuits from the oven and set aside to cool while you roast the strawberries.

For the strawberries:

  1. Leave the oven at 425 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Allow to macerate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
  3. Put the strawberries in a 9 x 13 “ foil-lined baking pan and roast them for 10 minutes only . Set aside to cool completely.

For the whipped cream:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl from the freezer. Beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form and keep chilled in the freezer until ready to assemble the shortcakes.