Name: Strawberry and almond shortcakes with cassis cream
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 400 ml thickened cream; 70 ml crème de cassis (see note); 60 gm pure icing sugar, sieved; 500 gm strawberries (about 2 punnets), trimmed and cut into wedges; To serve: baby basil (optional); Almond shortcakes; 70 gm almonds; 300 gm plain flour (2 cups); 50 gm rice flour; 120 gm raw caster sugar; Finely grated rind of 1 orange; 220 gm cold butter, coarsely grated; For brushing: eggwash

Strawberry and almond shortcakes with cassis cream

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for strawberry and almond shortcakes with cassis cream for a Great Gatsby party

Serves 12

Prep

30M

Cook

15M

Total

45M

Ingredients

400 ml thickened cream

70 ml crème de cassis (see note)

60 gm pure icing sugar, sieved

500 gm strawberries (about 2 punnets), trimmed and cut into wedges

To serve: baby basil (optional)

Almond shortcakes

70 gm almonds

300 gm plain flour (2 cups)

50 gm rice flour

120 gm raw caster sugar

Finely grated rind of 1 orange

220 gm cold butter, coarsely grated

For brushing: eggwash

Method

Main

1. For almond shortcakes, preheat oven to 160C. Spread almonds on an oven tray and roast, stirring occasionally, until browned (3-4 minutes), then coarsely chop and set aside. Combine flours, sugar, orange rind and a pinch of salt in a bowl, add butter and rub in with your fingertips until coarse crumbs form. Turn onto a work surface, bring together with the heel of your hand, then press into a 1cm-thick rectangle and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate to rest (30 minutes), then cut into rounds with a 7cm-diameter cutter. Brush with eggwash, scatter with almonds and place on oven trays lined with baking paper. Bake until just golden (12-15 minutes), cool completely on trays, then store in an airtight container until required. Almond shortcakes will keep for 1 week.

2.Whisk cream, half the crème de cassis and half the icing sugar in a bowl until soft peaks form, refrigerate until required.

3.Combine strawberries with remaining crème de cassis and icing sugar in a bowl and toss to combine, refrigerate until required.

4.To serve, spoon a little cream mixture onto shortcakes, pile strawberries on top, scatter with baby basil and serve.