Blackberry Bourbon Shortcakes with Whiskey Cream (GIVEAWAY)

May 30, 2011

Blackberry Bourbon Shortcakes with Whiskey Cream (GIVEAWAY)

Restraint and Blackberry Bourbon Shortcakes with Whiskey Cream.

Restraint. Moderation. Poise. There are times I possess these characteristics. A pebble hurls at my windshield and leaves a mark the size of a bullet hole; although my skin is boiling, I resist the temptation to scream at the pebble. My child sprays air freshener all over the walls so the bathroom smells like oranges for days on end; I take a breath (and choke on citrus fumes) then composed, I deal with my spawn and the bathroom.

Restraint is something most adults practice regularly. There are plenty of things I can resist completely, or at least use judgement to experience in moderation…

Shortcakes are not one of these things.

Truth be told, I am a complete and unabashed shortcake addict. If they are around, I will hoard them like bars of gold. It’s the tender buttery layers, the slight note of sweetness, the crumbly texture that lays somewhere between good shortbread and fluffy biscuits. After all, Shortbread + Cake = Shortcakes. My two favorite thing combined, how could I NOT love them?

I have absolutely no defense against their beguiling aroma and crusty golden top. I will literally eat them until they are gone. Three shortcakes left? Not anymore. Like the “bad boy” that irrational young girls swoon after; shortcakes are dangerous, and I love them for it.

So, I make them and I make them, with very good excuses of course. “Recipe Development” or “Tweaking” are common justifications for such behavior. “I’ve got to perfect this recipe”, I tell myself… lies.

The fact is, shortcakes are where all my restraint, moderation and poise go out the window. And if you’ve never experienced REAL shortcakes or GOOD shortcakes, this may be the recipe that breaks your resolve as well. *smile*

Blackberry Bourbon Shortcakes with Whiskey Cream, words cannot fully describe the wonder of this recipe.Simple blackberry shortcakes would do ME in on their own. Yet with the addition of bourbon to the shortcakes, and then again to the whipped cream, these babies are truly threatening.

This is a dessert I might trade my wedding ring for… and if not supervised, possibly one of my children.

Blackberry Bourbon Shortcakes are down-home buttery, ozzy-boozy, blackberry-lious! The way the deep perky flavor of the blackberries plays with the essence of bourbon is absolutely irresistible. I refuse to tell you how many of these I ate after this photo-shoot; it’s embarrassing.

Just know, I share this recipe with confidence that if you make it, you will want to kiss my face.

Cook’s Notes:

Shortcakes are squatty sweet biscuits that can be cracked in the middle to provide a top and bottom. As a member of the “quick bread” family, it’s best to use very cold ingredients, and to WORK FAST, so the dough goes in the oven cold. This allows the cool butter clumps to work their magic and produce light flaky layers. You can make shortcakes ahead, and put them into the fridge until ready to bake. It’s also important to cut as many shortcakes as possible out of the dough the first time. The more you gather and re-flatten the dough, the tougher it gets.

Macerating (squashing) some of the berries creates a thicker for flavorful sauce for the rest of the berries. Use the back of a large spoon, or simply smash them with your hand–it’s more fun!

Whiskey curdles cream if you’re not careful. For the whiskey whipped cream, make sure to add the whiskey to the heavy cream immediately before whipping. Whip it in the food processor for just a few seconds for loose cream or a little longer for stiff whipped cream. I personally like it loose for this recipe.

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Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Blackberry Bourbon Shortcakes with Whiskey Cream

Ingredients:

For the Bourbon Shortcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour + extra for cutting
1 Tb. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
8 Tb. cold butter, cut into cubes
1 egg + 1 egg white
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 Tb. bourbon
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 Tb. Turbinado sugar

For the Blackberries:
1 quart fresh blackberries
2-3 Tb. sugar

For the Whiskey Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
3 Tb. bourbon
3 Tb. sugar

Directions:

For the Bourbon Shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in the food processor. Pulse a few times, then add the butter cubes. Pulse a few more times until the butter in broken into pea-sized chunks.

Whisk one egg, cream and bourbon together, then pulse into he dry mixture. Until it just comes together.

Dump the dough onto a floured work surface. Quickly press with your hands until it is 1 ¼- 1 ½ inches thick.

Using a 3 inch cookie cutter cut out 8 shortcakes—try your best to get them all in one cut. Dough get tougher the more you play with it.

Lay them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush them with egg white and sprinkle with almonds and turbinado sugar.

Pop in the oven immediately. The goal is to works fast enough to get them in the oven while the butter is still cold—that’s what creates the light flaky texture. Bake for 12 minute, then cool for at least 5 minutes before trying to move.

For the Blackberries: Smash one handful of blackberries to leash the juices. Toss the smashed berries with the whole berries and sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Whiskey Cream: Wipe out the food processor, then add the cream, bourbon and sugar. Puree into the desired consistency in reached. Stir to make sure the loose cream on the bottom is whipped.

I’m excited to announce That Villeroy & Boch has graciously offered One Gorgeous Whiskey Carafe and Your Choice of 2 Whiskey Tumblers as a Pre-Father’s Day Giveaway. This heavy crystal bar-ware would make a stunning gift for the man in your life–or for yourself!