Strawberry Shortcake with Lemony-Pepper Syrup

One of the food highlights of my year is always strawberry shortcake.

There are so many different versions that you can create using different bases - biscuits, small cakey cookies, individual white cakes, angel food cake or, even sponge cake, like in this recips. I have tried many different ways to make strawberry shortcake and I keep coming back to sponge cake. This adapted recipe from the New York Times Food column (by Melissa Clark), highlights the intended lightness of this simple and seasonal dessert with airy spongecake (thanks to whisked eggs), the sweetness of fresh, local Fraser Valley strawberries (thank you @krauseberryfarms) and a hint of sour-spice flavour with the lemony-pepper syrup. I'm tempted to try this with a lime-basil syrup next, wouldn't that be fabulous? Yum!

If you are looking for a great dessert during strawberry season, it is definitely a tried-and-true hit! It also fits the red and white food delight motif of my Canada Day, backyard picnic. Check out my other backyard picnic recipes on the blog.

I hope you enjoy!

Krista

Strawberry Shortcake with Lemony-Pepper Syrup

(adapted from Melissa Clark via the @nytimesfood)

Ingredients

For the shortcake

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

11/4 cups sugar

11/4 cup flour, all-purpose

11/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 large egg white, room temperature

1/3 cup 2% milk, warmed slightly

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the strawberry filling

11/4 pound strawberries, sliced thinly

1 tablespoons sugar

1/2 lemon, zested

For the lemony-pepper syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/8 tsp freshly-cracked black pepper

1/2 lemon, zested

For the whip topping

2 cups heavy cream

2 tsp clover honey

1 tsp vanilla

For the garnish

3/4 pound whole fresh strawberries (they look great if they still have the green stems and tops)

mint leaves

Method

For the strawberries

Place thinly sliced strawberries, sugar and zest of 1/2 a lemon into a bowl and mix. Allow berries to macerate and release their juices for 1 hour.

For the shortcake

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray. Line bottom of pan with a parchment paper base and spray bottom again.

In a large bowl combine and sift your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt.

In a high-speed mixer with a whisk attachment, whip eggs and egg white on high until frothy with bubbles, about 30 seconds. Slowly add sugar and continue to whisk until mixture becomes pale yellow and thick enough to form ribbons, or mounds when the whisk is lifted, about 3 minutes.

Gently fold dry flour mixture into the egg mixture, careful to not deflate eggs. Fold in milk, vanilla and melted butter until combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until it is golden in colour.

Let pan cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife along edges to release and invert onto cooling rack. Peel off parchment and allow cake to cook completely.

For the lemony-pepper syrup

Add sugar and water to a small sauce pan, stir and bring to a slow rolling simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Add pepper, stir to mix-in and allow syrup on lowest temperatures to thicken, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add the zest of 1/2 a lemon and allow syrup to cool. It should be thick and runny, not solidified.

To Assemble

When the cake has completely cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to horizontally slice cake into half. Brush both cut-sides of cake with 2/3 of lemon-pepper syrup, reserving 1/3 to drizzle on plated cake slices. The syrup will moisten the cake and give it a subtle sour and spice flavour. Place bottom half of the cake, cut side up onto a serving plate. Top with the sliced strawberry mixture, spreading them out over cake. Add 1/2 of the whip cream over strawberries, spreading evenly. Top with second cake, cut-side down. Add remaining whip cream to top of cake and spread. It's okay if it starts to slide down sides. This will give your cake a nice rustic look. Add whole strawberries and mint to garnish. Keep cool until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, slice cake, plate and drizzle runny lemon-pepper syrup over cake slices. If your syrup thickens too much, heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen.