Fresh Peach and Raspberry Shortcake
One of America’s favorite desserts, raised to a new level: fresh shortcakes are filled with whipped cream and peaches and raspberries which have been soaked with peach liqueur. Chef DuBois uses tall chocolate spirals, but any shape chocolate curl can be used for garnish.
Ingredients
- Flour - 2 cups
- Salt - 1 teaspoon
- Baking Powder - 2 teaspoons
- Sugar - 2 tablespoons
- Butter - 7 tablespoons, cold, cut into small pieces
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons
- Peaches - 4
- Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Peach Liqueur - 1/4 cup
- Raspberries - 1/2 Pint
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1 cup, beaten to firm peaks
- Confectioner’s sugar - For dusting
- Chocolate Curls - 6
- Mint - 6 fresh sprigs
- Cinnamon - For dusting
Instructions
To make the shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the diced butter. Mix with your fingers until the texture of corn meal; do not completely mix the butter with the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the cream. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and briefly knead, 4 to 6 times. Roll out 1- to 1-1/2-inches thick. Cut out 6 discs with a 4-inch round cutter and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, until golden.
Peel, pit, and slice the peaches and place in a small mixing bowl. Add the sugar and liqueur and toss gently to coat. Let stand 5 minutes. Add the raspberries and gently toss again.
To serve: Split the shortcakes in half horizontally. Place the bottom of the shortcakes slightly off center on the dessert plates. Place the whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. For each shortcake, pipe a little whipped cream on the shortcake bottom. Spoon some of the peach-raspberry mixture onto the cream. Pipe on a little more whipped cream, then another layer of fruit. Finish with a little more whipped cream, then cover with the shortcake top. Place a few pieces of fruit on the plates beside the shortcake. Dust the shortcake and plate with confectioner’s sugar. Pipe a small swirl of whipped cream beside each shortcake and stand a chocolate curl in each. Garnish with fresh mint. Dust the outer edges of the plates with a little cinnamon.
