Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

A popular American dessert that makes its way to most barbecues, picnics and soirées in the month of June is Strawberry Shortcake: a rich, buttery, crunchy biscuit with lightly sweetened whipped cream and slightly macerated berries. Edible East End challenged my gluten intelligence and asked for a gluten-free summertime dessert for my, What's in Season column in their low summer 2014 issue. At my home, Sheridan Green, I recently hosted my first dinner party for friends who are gluten intolerant—the challenge was perfect timing. We are well acquainted with food allergies to peanuts, and even strawberries, but nowadays, gluten has risen to the top as the biggest culprit. So, why not give gluten-free cooking a whirl? At some point we all have encountered this at a dinner party, “Is this gluten-free?” or, “How can I make this gluten-free?” At Edible East End you can read about my journey to create a high-rise biscuit.

On the East End of Long Island, strawberries kick-off the summer fruit season in June and by the end of the month, during its peak, if you happen to be standing in a strawberry patch—picking your own of course—at Patty’s Berries and Bunches in Mattituck or Hank’s Farm Stand in Southampton, a fruity aroma carried by a summer wind, will captivate you in a Wizard of Oz poppy field trance. And, once you come out of your hypnotic state with bushels in hand you can consider making: smoothies, pies, preserves, salads, cakes, ice creams, juices, Greek yogurt panna cotta, and maybe even a gluten-free strawberry shortcake.

Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake

Macerated Strawberries

macerated strawberries

ingredients

  • 1 pound strawberries trimmed and cut in half; about 4 cups
  • ¼ cup honey
  • cup water
  • Pinch of sea salt

Combine the honey, water and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Once done cool and toss with the strawberries. Set aside for 1 hour to allow strawberries to release their juices.

Whipped Cream

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

ingredients

  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • 1 vanilla bean split and seeded
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar

directions

  1. Place a large bowl in freezer to prep for the cream. In a medium bowl place the cream; cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape seeds into cream along with the bean; gently whisk. Cover cream mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Strain cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the chilled bowl. Add the powdered sugar and with a balloon whisk begin to beat the cream into soft peaks. (You can use a KitchenAid with a whisk attachment or a handheld beater.)

Set aside in refrigerator.

Gluten-Free Biscuits

Gluten-Free Biscuits

ingredients

  • 1¼ cups brown rice flour
  • ¼ cup tapioca starch
  • 3 teaspoons xanthan gum
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon agave syrup
  • 1 stick cold butter, cut into ½-inch chunks
  • 2 large eggs
  • cup whole milk Greek yogurt

directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and sprinkle with two tablespoons of brown rice flour. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix together with a whisk.
  3. Add the butter and use your fingertips to combine into the dry ingredients, try to work quickly to keep the butter cold.
  4. In another bowl, add the eggs, yogurt and agave and whisk together; add mixture to the dry ingredients and with a wooden spoon stir the dough together until a ball forms. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  5. Turn dough out onto a clean surface and, working quickly, pat the dough into a 10- by 8-inch rectangle, fold into a 5- by 8-inch rectangle, and again into a 5- by 4-inch rectangle. (Repeat this one more time.)
  6. Then press dough into a rectangle, ½-inch thick; 10 by 8 inches. Using the top of a glass or a 31/4-inch circle cutter, cut out 2 biscuits; you will not be able to get 6 biscuits in a 10- by 8-inch pass so you will need to repeat this step again, however your rectangle will be smaller, keep with the ½-inch thickness for good measure.
  7. Arrange the biscuits with ample room in between each one; they need room to grow while baking.
  8. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow biscuits to cool before assembling.

Assembly

Split each biscuit and place the bottom half on plate. Top with the berries and its juices and then top with the whipped cream. Then place the top of the biscuit on the shortcake.

Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

By early June on the North Fork of Long Island the strawberry begins to emerge. This first fruit of the spring season reaches it’s harvesting peak towards the end of the month, bursting with strawberry flavor.

To celebrate this strawberry harvest the Mattituck Lions Club is hosting the 59th Annual Strawberry Festival from June 13th - June 16th featuring: live music, over a 100 arts and craft vendors, rides, the crowning of the Strawberry Queen, foods from around the world and of course strawberry delights made a zillion ways. Proceeds from the event help the Mattituck Lions advance their year-round community service efforts.

If you haven't had enough of this sweet celebration, a variety of farms on the North Fork offer Pick-Your-Own strawberries. This can be an overindulgent endeavor; hauling home more than you can ever plop in your mouth—but who cares—especially when you wait all year long for this sweet and luscious fruit to arrive in June. There is a plethora of savory and sweet recipes that you can make with this fruit, so if you find yourself with more strawberries than you can chew, do not sweat it.

Making a Strawberry Rhubarb Compote is an easy way to render down all that luscious goodness for a delicious Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta.

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

ingredients

  • 3 stalks of rhubarb; cut into 1 inch pieces, 1½ pounds
  • Zest of 1 orange and ½ lemon
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • ½ cup of honey
  • 2 quarts of strawberries; cut into quarters, 2 pounds
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • pinch of sea salt

 

directions

  1. In a medium pot combine rhubarb, honey, zest of lemon/orange and orange juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for about 5 minutes, until the rhubarb is tender.
  2. Add the strawberries, nutmeg and sea salt; cook for an additional 5 minutes then remove from heat and chill.

note: can be done a day in advance

Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta

ingredients

  • 2 cups of whole milk greek yogurt
  • 1 cup of whole milk
  • 1/3 cup of sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean and seeds
  • 1 gelatin pack
  • 2 ½ tablespoons of cold water

 

directions

  1. Place the gelatin and cold water in a cup; let stand until softened, for 5 minutes.
  2. In a small saucepan, bring the milk, sugar, vanilla bean with seeds to a simmer. Turn off the heat and stir in the gelatin until melted.
  3. Whisk the Greek yogurt in a separate bowl until smooth, then whisk the milk mixture into the yogurt and remove the vanilla bean. Pour the mixture into six 1/2-cup ramekins or Trifle Mini cups. Refrigerate for 3 hours to set.

Assembly


Place 3 tablespoons of the strawberry rhubarb compote on top of panna cotta and top with a mint leaf for garnish.