Yellow Sponge Cake, Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream, Strawberry Rhubarb Compote, Blanched Mint, Hyssop, Chamomile Flowers and Leaves, Lavender Flowers, Whole Strawberry
This is one of those instances when I take a really classic, well-known and loved dish, present it differently and add a few extra touches. It's my way of honoring the classics while not being completely boring and totally unoriginal. Strawberry shortcake is one of those very American foods that we all should be familiar with. Whether at a steak or seafood house or a family picnic, you've probably had shortcake. And you more than likely loved it. And for a most of us, eating strawberry shortcake will bring back a lot of really good memories. Hopefully reading this post will do the same.
The base of this plate is a really simple yellow sponge cake made with butter, egg, flower and milk. After it cooled I simply broke it up into small pieces. If you present your cake in this manner you will want to hold of on the tearing until ready to serve as to not dry the cake out.
I cooked down rhubarb and strawberries in some sugar, water and a touch of red wine until thick and syrupy. I chilled it before serving but it's just as good served warm.
I scraped the seeds out of a vanilla bean pod into some heavy cream and sugar. I whisked the cream until it thickened. Freshly made whipped cream is one of those things that is so simple and so much better than it's store-bought alternatives that there really is no good excuse to not make your own.
I arranged the cake pieces on the plate spooning a dollop of the cream next to each one. I then spooned the compote onto the plate and arranged the fresh strawberries. I finished with the flowers and leaves.
Product:
Organic Rhubarb - Culton Organics
Earliglow Strawberries - 3 Springs
Chamomile - Weaver's Way
Organic Blanched Mint - My Garden
Organic Annis Hyssop - My Garden
Organic Lavender - My Garden
The base of this plate is a really simple yellow sponge cake made with butter, egg, flower and milk. After it cooled I simply broke it up into small pieces. If you present your cake in this manner you will want to hold of on the tearing until ready to serve as to not dry the cake out.
I cooked down rhubarb and strawberries in some sugar, water and a touch of red wine until thick and syrupy. I chilled it before serving but it's just as good served warm.
I scraped the seeds out of a vanilla bean pod into some heavy cream and sugar. I whisked the cream until it thickened. Freshly made whipped cream is one of those things that is so simple and so much better than it's store-bought alternatives that there really is no good excuse to not make your own.
I arranged the cake pieces on the plate spooning a dollop of the cream next to each one. I then spooned the compote onto the plate and arranged the fresh strawberries. I finished with the flowers and leaves.
Product:
Organic Rhubarb - Culton Organics
Earliglow Strawberries - 3 Springs
Chamomile - Weaver's Way
Organic Blanched Mint - My Garden
Organic Annis Hyssop - My Garden
Organic Lavender - My Garden