The sugary scent of peaches in Ontario every August remind me of my childhood summers spent in the Niagara region. Bursting with juicy flavour, I love pairing this fleshy sweet yet slightly acidic fruit with warm spices and toasty bourbon.
Now the perfect vessel for our peaches you ask? Shortcake of course.
When I say shortcake I really mean biscuit, we just refer to them as “shortcakes”because the “short” refers to the shortness of the dough, meaning drier, crumbly and crisp in texture. All you need is a little cream and you are set!
A beautiful brunch item or perfect for a sweet finale at your next summer BBQ.
Yield 9 Shortcakes
Mis en Place
Shortcakes
430 g All purpose Flour
20 g Baking Powder
2 g Baking Soda
6 g Salt
30g Sugar
185g Unsalted Butter (cold)
350g Buttermilk
Chantilly Cream
250 g Whole Milk
120 g Granulated Sugar
120 g Egg Yolk
35 g Cornstarch
50 g Unsalted Butter
15 g Vanilla Extract / Paste
250 g 35% Whipping Cream
Peaches
3 Medium sized slightly ripened peaches
60 g Butter Unsalted
120g Brown Sugar
2g Salt
5g Cinnamon
5g Vanilla Bean Paste/Extract
20g Peach Nectar
50g Bourbon (optional)
Method
Step 1
Prepare your biscuits
Cut butter into ½” cubes and keep cold until ready to use.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Add cold butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or 2 forks
(alternatively this can be done on a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment).
Add buttermilk and mix with a spatula/ then hands lightly until just combined. Do not over mix.
Step 2
Using an ice cream scoop, place dollops of dough onto a parchment
lined baking sheet. While you preheat the oven, chill biscuits.
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
Once ready, sprinkle biscuits with raw or coarse sugar and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 3
Prepare Chantilly cream
In a mixing bowl combine egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch and whisk until homogenous.
Combine milk and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to a simmer.
Begin the tempering process where you gradually add hot milk to the egg yolks a ladle at a time while consistently whisking. Once all milk has been added, pour the mixture back into your saucepan and whisk!
Over medium-low heat whisk until the mixture thickens, allow boiling for 1 minute to cook out the taste of starch.
Remove from heat and add butter.
Store in the refrigerator with cling wrap to the surface while cooling.
Step 4
Once cool, whip 35% cream with a whisk or on a stand mixer with a whisk attachment to stiff peaks.
Fold in pastry cream with a spatula until homogenous and creamy.
Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
Step 5
Prepare Peaches
*Prep peaches by washing, drying and slicing to ¼” thick.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
Add brown sugar and stir with a spatula.
Once combined add vanilla, cinnamon, peach nectar, salt and bourbon.
Continue to sauté until slightly tender. Serve warm.
Step 6
Assembly
Torte shortcake in half and spoon peaches on bottom layer with extra sauce.
Scoop Chantilly and dollop over top peaches and lay top of the biscuit over.
