shortcake strawberry

By the time that March rolls in, winter begins to feel like a guest who has overstayed its welcome. There are days when it murmurs its promise of imminent departure, then turns a cold shoulder and digs in deeper.
The anticipation unsettles me.
I cope with this polarity by alternately sowing seeds and baking, The sowing fills me with hope for what is to come, while baking provides comfort during this last vestige of  winter.


In unabashed defiance of this in-between season, I’ve made strawberry shortcake.
It started out in a traditional form…you know the one…shortcake biscuit, split in half, filled with macerated sliced strawberries, billows of whipped sweet cream.
It was delicious, but there were leftovers.
And I started thinking about the crumbs on the outside of a Good Humor strawberry shortcake (it’s the best part).
And you know how I like to play…


shortcake strawberry
shortcake
3/4 cups flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tblsps unsalted butter, cut into small bits
1/4 cup heavy cream
cream
1 cup  heavy cream, well chilled
2 Tblsps cool water
1 tsp powdered gelatin
1 Tblsp confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups reserved coarse shortcake crumbs
glaze
1 cup strawberry puree
1 tsp powdered gelatin
sugar and/or lemon juice to taste
crumbs
1/2 cup reserved fine shortcake crumbs
1/2 cup crumbled freeze dried strawberries, kept in an airtight container until needed
1/4 cup toasted,unsweetened dessicated coconut

shortcake: Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the butter bits and blend in thoroughly on med-low speed using the paddle attachment. Add the cream and mix just until the dough comes together in a mass. Transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet and form into a rough rectangle that is 3/4" thick. Cut the rectangle in half to form 2 squares and separate them, leaving about 1" space in between them. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove from oven and turn oven down to 150F. Allow shortcakes to cool completely. Crumble the cooled shortcakes with your hands into pieces about the size of peas. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of coarse crumbs and reserve. Further crumble the remaining coarse crumbs into pieces about the size of rice. Measure out 1/2 cup of these fine crumbs and spread them out on the baking sheet. Return to oven for about 8-10 minutes or until they are dry and crisp, but have not browned. Reserve.
cream: Place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer and place in refrigerator to chill. In a small bowl, place the water and sprinkle on the gelatin. Allow to soften for 3 minutes. Whisk and place in the microwave at 5- second intervals until gelatin is dissolved and clear. Whisk well and set aside. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and whip with whisk attachment on high speed until cream stands at soft peaks. Sprinkle the powdered sugar and vanilla over the cream and beat just until incorporated. Pour the dissolved gelatin in the center of the cream all at once and immediately beat until it holds stiff peaks. Immediately fold in coarse shortcake crumbs. Set aside in refrigerator to chill for about 15 minutes or until set. Remove from refrigerator and form into large quenelles, using  2 tablespoons, with one rounded end and one pointed. Transfer the quenelles onto a plate lined with plastic wrap. Transfer to the freezer and let set just until outside is firm, but not frozen through, about 10-15 minutes.
glaze: While cream mixture is in the freezer, place the strawberry puree in a bowl. Taste it–if the berries were ripe it should be sweet and well balanced. If not, adjust to your taste. Remove about 2 Tablespoons of puree to a smaller bowl. Sprinkle on the gelatin and let soften for 3 minutes. Whisk and place in the microwave at 5-second intervals until gelatin is dissolved and clear. Whisk again, then pour into remaining puree and whisk well. Transfer this mixture into a tall narrow vessel in which you can completely submerge the quenelles. Remove the quenelles from the freezer. Impale the sharp end of a skewer into the rounded end of a quenelle. Lift off the plate and submerge into the puree until quenelle is well coated. Lift out and replace on plate. Repeat with remaining quenelles. Transfer to refrigerator to set puree.
crumbs: Combine fine shortcake crumbs, freeze dried strawberries, and coconut just before using as the strawberries will become soft within 5-10 minutes after combining.