Sheet-Pan Strawberry Shortcake with Black Pepper, Whipped Honey Ricotta and Togarashi
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Newsflash: It’s strawberry season! To celebrate, we’re making plans with this recipe for sheet-pan strawberry shortcake with black pepper, whipped honey ricotta and togarashi, courtesy of fashion designer-turned-cook Peter Som. (If his name sounds familiar, it might be because he’s dressed the likes of Michelle Obama, Emma Watson and Amy Poehler. No big deal.)
By the way, how does one make the leap from fashion to food? Som says his curiosity for cooking originated from his Chinese heritage and his mom’s obsession with French food; he began cooking at home as an escape from the fast-paced world of fashion. And thank goodness for that, because we don’t know what we’d do without this easy, crowd-pleasing dessert.
Psst: The garnish calls for togarashi, a Japanese spice blend that’s toasty, spicy and sweet, and while it is totally optional, we think it’s the cherry on top.
Ingredients
Strawberries
2 quarts strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 or 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Shortcake
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fennel seed, ground
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup plus 2 teaspoons buttermilk, divided
2 large eggs
Whipped Honey Ricotta
2 cups ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons honey
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon togarashi or cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
1. Prepare the Strawberries: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, pepper and thyme leaves. Set aside.
2. Make the Shortcake: In a large bowl, add the flour, ½ cup of the sugar, the baking powder, salt, pepper and fennel seed and whisk to combine. Add the butter, and using a pastry cutter or your fingers, combine until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the buttermilk and the eggs to combine. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and mix to combine. The mixture should be uniform with no dry patches, but don’t overmix.
4. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and pat it into a 1-inch-tall rectangle (it will not reach the edge of the pan). Brush with the remaining 2 teaspoons buttermilk and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake on the middle rack for until the top is lightly golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes.
5. Make the Whipped Ricotta: Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the ricotta, honey, Greek yogurt and vanilla and process until smooth. (This can also be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.)
6. To serve, spoon dollops of the whipped ricotta on top of the shortcake, followed by strawberries and their juices. Finish with a pinch of togarashi or cayenne pepper, if using, and serve immediately.
519 calories
23g fat
67g carbs
13g protein
33g sugars
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Note: The information shown is Edamam's estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.