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Chocolate Shortcakes with Minted Strawberries & Cream
Serves 8
"The combination of mint, chocolate, and berries is totally traditional," says
Govind, "but not in a strawberry shortcake." This summery dessert is a big hit on the lounge
menu at his restaurant, Table 8. You can bake the cakes and macerate the strawberries up to a
day in advance. For a little extra picnic fun, Govind suggests packing individual "kits" in
take-out boxes, so people can assemble their own desserts. If you have a gas-charged whipped
cream canister, fill it with heavy cream, keep it chilled with the drinks, and pass it around
when you serve the shortcakes.
Ingredients
Chocolate Shortcakes 1 cup all-purpose flour1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling 1/4 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda Pinch of salt 1/2 cup good-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup heavy cream About 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Strawberries 1 pint strawberries, stems removed and cut into quarters lengthwiseAbout 1 tablespoon sugar 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 1 teaspoon chiffonade-cut fresh mint 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks 8 mint sprigs for garnish (optional) |
 Photos by Maren Caruso
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To make the chocolate shortcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips and then pour in the cream and stir just until the mixture comes together in a dough. Be careful not to overwork the dough, or the shortcakes will be tough. Lightly dust a work surface with flour, and turn out the dough onto it. With your hands, press the dough into a rectangle about 6 by 4 inches and cut it into 8 rectangular pieces each about 2 by 1 1/2 inches. Brush the top of each piece with the melted butter, sprinkle lightly with sugar, and place at least 2 inches apart on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until firm. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
To prepare the strawberries, place the berries in a bowl, sprinkle with the sugar, adjusting the amount according to the sweetness of the berries, and stir gently to mix well. With the tip of a knife, scrape the seeds from the split vanilla bean into the berries. Add the mint, mix gently, and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until the flavors have married and the berries have softened a little and released some juice.
To serve, split the shortcakes horizontally and place the bottom halves, cut side up, on individual plates. Spoon half of the strawberries over the shortcake bottoms, dividing them evenly. Using half of the whipped cream, top each serving with a dollop of the cream. Cap with the shortcake tops, spoon the remaining berries evenly over the stacks, and then finish each serving with a dollop of the remaining whipped cream. Garnish with a mint sprig and serve immediately.
