INGREDIENTS
Basil Whipped Cream
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves-torn or slightly chopped
Shortcake
- 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 ¼ tsp. Baking Powder
- ½ tsp. Salt
- 3 Tbsp. Sugar
- 4 Tbsp. Butter-cold, cut into pieces
- 1 Cup Milk-cold
Tomato Topping
- 2 Cups Native Tomatoes-if cherries, split in half otherwise cut ½” pieces
- 3 Tbsp. Fresh Basil-fine chiffonade or snipped with scissors
- 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- To Taste Salt and Black Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small pot, heat the whipping cream and basil until a gentle simmer. Turn off pot, cover and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain out the basil and chill the cream until cold.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9” cake pan with butter or vegetable spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the lemon zest and butter. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter, working until the butter is the size of small peas. Evenly moisten the mixture with the cold milk and gently mix until just combined using a rubber spatula. Do not overmix.
- Transfer the batter into the cake pan and level out. Tap on the table to remove air in the mixture. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until a very pale golden and when a toothpick at the center comes out clean. Let cool on a rack. Unmold in 15 minutes.
- While the shortcake is baking, combine the tomatoes, second measure of basil , and olive oil, seasoning to taste with salt and black pepper. Let sit and allow the salt to remove some of the juices from the tomato.
- When the basil cream is chilled, whip until soft peaks form. To serve, cut a wedge of the shortcake and cut the wedge in half crosswise. Place bottom piece on a plate, soak slightly with some of the tomato juice, and then the tomatoes and basil mixture. Top with the shortcake top. Garnish with the basil whipped cream and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Lincoln Culinary Institute’s Website: www.lincolnculinary.com
