instead of sitting here, up in my bed, trying to write. probably spending a little too much time just staring, feeling braindead...
i think that, tonight, i'm going to take the time to do art instead.
have a wonderful fourth! people do some funny stuff on the fourth of july, get out and go see that. i will be indoors, peeling rhubarb.
but it's not all bad, because rhubarb is pretty to look at and peeling it feels strangely satisfying.
but you! go sit in the sun, read a magazine, drink cold beer, anything you want to do to have a grand ol' time.
and then consider shortcake. it is, of course, one of the greatest summer desserts ever in the history of dessert.
it is just too good, too perfect a combination...tender vanilla scented shortcake, sweet and punchy summer fruit, and fresh whipped cream, barely sweetened.
ok. i'm sticking to my beginning words and putting this computer device to bed, and getting out the blank paper and some good pens.
i'll leave you with what some other people are saying about strawberry apricot shortcakes.
"...Oh right, right, of course. The shortcake, it was just out of this world, darling."
-the countess
"if you leave one of these shortcakes out on the counter instead of a half-eaten apple, we'll consider not driving you crazy for the rest of your life."
-flies
"I'd definitely have to think twice."
-Batman, after being asked which one he would save if a plate of these shortcakes and a teenage girl happened to both be falling simultaneously off a cliff
Strawberry Apricot Shortcakes
adapted from smitten kitchen and joy the baker
1/4 lb strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
4-5 sweet and ripe apricots, washed and sliced
2 tbsp sugar
zest and juice of a lemon
1 cup heavy cream
for the biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream
granulated sugar for sprinkling tops before baking
for the biscuits: preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. in a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. in a small bowl, whisk together egg, vanilla, and heavy cream. cut the cold butter into small pieces and cut into the flour mixture with a bench scraper, pastry cutter, or your fingertips. work quickly, keeping the butter cold. the mixture should look like coarse crumbs. make a well in the center of the butter and flour mix and pour in the wet ingredients. mix until the dough just comes together. dump out onto a floured surface and ring it together with your hands. knead a couple times. pat into a rectangle a little over an inch thick, and cut into 6 equal pieces. you can also (as i did), scoop rounded mounds of dough using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. sprinkle the tops with sugar and bake for 15-20 minutes until browned.
while the shortcakes bake, toss the strawberries and apricot slices with the sugar and lemon juice. let stand and macerate for a bit. whip the cream to soft peaks.
split the shortcakes in half horizontally and place the bottoms on plates. spoon a large dollop of whipped cream on the bottoms, then heap the fruit over the cream, and finally top with the biscuit tops. serve and enjoy immediately.
