Nectarine Ginger Shortcakes

Years ago, one of my students gave me a gift certificate to a bookstore as a parting gift for the school year.  And with it, I purchased a tiny book called Biscuits and Scones:  62 Recipes from Breakfast Biscuits to Homey Desserts by Elizabeth Alston.  Until Sunday, I’d never made another biscuit or shortcake recipe because those recipes are the very best.

Until Sunday.

When it comes to the perfect shortcake recipe, I think it should be only slightly sweet since it’s going to have macerated berries poured over each piece.  It should have a sturdy exterior with a pleasant bite — almost a crunch.  The center is more dense and very nearly like a sponge that will soak up the juice of the berries without getting mushy.  A bit obsessive, yes? 

But Sunday, after the BBQ Beef Sandwiches with that amazing crunchy Coleslaw with Bacon and Blue Cheese, we had Nectarine Shortcake make with a different recipe.  The ginger called for in the original recipe from this August’s issue of Bon Appetit, which I cooked the hell out of, caught my eye.  In my recent kitchen reorganization, I unearthed a bag of crystallized ginger that I swear I bought two years ago, so now seemed like it was free.  Ridiculous reasoning, I know, but it’s kind of like finding money in the pocket of a coat you haven’t worn since last winter, right?  The other thing that caught my eye about the recipe was the addition of ginger ale.  No milk.  Well, not as much as the recipe I’ve been using.   

Of course I’d like to say that I made this recipe exactly the way it was written, but I somehow forgot to increase the amount of butter along with the other ingredients since I was making more than what the recipe called for. 

I’m sure Alton Brown would have something to say about the chemistry of the missing butter, but they turned out famously.  Crunchy tops, easy to split, and very nice with nectarines that have been macerated in quite a bit less sugar than what the recipe called for.  Some lime juice splashed in for good measure was almost perfect.  I’d have added some basil to it all if we’d not had some younger people at the table who wouldn’t try the dessert if there were green shreds in it — but next time.

And yes, there will be a next time.

These are outstanding!

Nectarine Ginger Shortcakes
makes 8 good-sized shortcakes

3 c. all purpose flour
2/3 c. plus 4 T sugar, divided
4-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. butter (salted) chilled and cut into chunks
2/3 c. crystallized ginger, chopped finely, divided in half
3/4 c. ginger ale
5 T heavy cream
6 nectarines, peelings on, cut into chunks
juice from one lime
whipped heavy cream for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone.

Add 2/3 c. sugar, flour, and baking powder to a  medium bowl and whisk to mix ingredients.  Add the cold chunks of butter next, and using your fingers, pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until it is evenly distributed and looks like oatmeal.  Add the ginger and mix well with your fingers.

Add the ginger ale and 3 T of heavy cream.  (There will be some bubbling…)  Mix lightly until all dry ingredients are wet and the batter begins to clump.

Pour out mixture onto a work surface and form into a crude roll that can be cut into 8 even-sized disks.

Even out disks by patting and place on the baking sheet.

Mix 2 T cream with 2 T sugar and brush over the tops of the disks.

Bake 25 minutes or until puffed, golden brown, and a skewer inserted in the middle is removed clean.  Let cool briefly on the baking pan, then remove to a rack.  Serve warm, or at room temperature.  (If made ahead, store in a well-sealed container and enjoy the next day

While the shortcakes are baking, in a medium bowl, mix nectarines with 2 T sugar, add the remaining 1/3 c. ginger, then squeeze the juice of 1 lime over.  Set aside, and toss occasionally to coat nectarines with the syrup.

To serve, partially split each shortcake with a fork, spoon some nectarines and syrup over the bottom of each, close, dollop some whipped cream over, and top with more nectarines and syrup if you choose.

Notes:

• The shortcakes will spread out much like scones and touch as they bake, but are easily separated and retain their shape.
• The ginger is so very lovely in this dessert.  Clearly, there was a reason my ginger was lost for a couple of years in my cupboard waiting for this recipe. 
• I’ll be tempted to add back the butter when I next try these just to see what happens.  You know, because a girl can never have too many calories in her baked goods.
• Sans potentially picky-eaters, there will definitely be basil in this next time, some mascarpone in the cream, and the nectarines will be grilled.  If you haven’t tried them before, the caramelized sugar is amazing.  And if you don’t have a grill, then whip out a panini pan — it works, too.
• The shortcakes are great the next day, although the tops soften a bit.  I’m thinking it’s that heavy cream on the top.  Usually, a bit of low-fat milk goes on my shortcakes, but this was too interesting to pass up.

Tagged as: Bon Appetit, ginger, nectarine, shortcake