Spring

Rye Shortcakes with Roasted Strawberries and Rhubarb

April 16, 2014
3.8
4 Ratings
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

This springy dessert is a twist on classic strawberry shortcakes. Early season strawberries can be a little boring in the flavor department, so I roasted them along with some bold flavors including a dose of zingy citrus, sweet vanilla, and my very favorite spring ingredient: rhubarb. The rye flour in these shortcakes gives them a bit of milky sweetness. —Yossy Arefi

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Ingredients
  • Rye Shortcakes
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold, cut into cubes
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream, chilled
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk, chilled
  • 2 tablespoons crunchy sugar (such as turbinado) for sprinkling
  • Heavy cream to brush the tops of the shortcakes
  • Roasted Strawberries and Rhubarb
  • 1 pound strawberries, trimmed and hulled and cut in half
  • 3/4 pound rhubarb, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons honey, or more to taste
  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
  • 2 strips lemon zest, peeled with a veggie peeler
  • 2 strips orange zest, peeled with a veggie peeler
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
  • Juice from 1/2 orange, a few tablespoons
  • Lightly sweetened whipped cream to serve
Directions
  1. Rye Shortcakes
  2. Preheat oven to 400º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
  4. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or two knives until it is the size of peas. Make a well in the center of the ingredients then add in the buttermilk and heavy cream. Stir gently until just combined. It is okay if there are a few dry spots. If it seems very dry, add more heavy cream or buttermilk, one tablespoon at a time.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a square about 1 inch thick. Fold the dough in half over itself and pat into a square about 1 inch thick. Repeat this process one more time. Then, use a floured 2 1/2-inch round cutter to cut the dough. Place the cut shortcakes onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently re-roll scraps and cut again. Put the whole baking sheet into the freezer for 10 minutes.
  6. Brush the tops of the shortcakes with heavy cream and sprinkle with crunchy sugar. Bake until the tops are browned and the shortcakes are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
  1. Roasted Strawberries and Rhubarb
  2. Preheat oven to 375º F.
  3. Gently toss all of the ingredients together on a baking sheet, including the vanilla bean seeds and pod. Roast in the oven until juicy and soft and the juices just begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes.
  4. Let the fruit cool to room temperature and remove the vanilla bean pod and citrus zest just before serving.
  5. To serve: Slice the shortcakes in half, then top with a generous spoonful of fruit and a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy immediately.

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Yossy Arefi is a photographer and stylist with a passion for food. During her stint working in restaurant kitchens, Yossy started the blog Apt. 2B Baking Co. where, with her trusty Pentax film camera, she photographs and writes about seasonal desserts and preserves. She currently lives in Brooklyn but will always love her native city of Seattle. Follow her work at apt2bbakingco.blogspot.com & yossyarefi.com.

7 Reviews

judy February 15, 2022
These will be spectacular! I will try them this spring. I have made a version in past years using Serious Eats recipe for sweet potato biscuits and their braised rhubarb in rd wine. Also amazing. I am allergic to cooked sugar, so I do not add sugar until the recipe is cooked. comes out just fine, and I use at least half the sugar called for. On the biscuits, I just butter the tops and sprinkle the sugar on, it kind of melts into the biscuit without changing molecular structure enough to trigger my allergy. I also add the sugar AFTER cooking to the braised rhubarb. I will have to do so after roasting the fruit here as well...
Can't wait for rhubarb!
Gordon C. June 1, 2017
Made this tonight with only rhubarb (because why cover that tart flavour with strawberries?) and lemon juice (because that's all I had). I mushed up the rhubarb after it was done and left it in for about 10 minutes more than suggested. And it was divine!

The dough was amazing - so light and delicious!
jenniebgood June 5, 2014
Wow - nice take on the shortcake! I can't wait to make these in a couple of weeks when strawberries come into season!
Mario T. May 5, 2014
Made this last night with a group of friends and it was a huge hit. The dough is absolutely fantastic! My only criticism is in the roasted berry mixture...there was a little too much going on in the flavor department. If I were to do it again (and I will) I would change the orange juice to lemon juice. I felt the ginger, orange, vanilla and strong flavors from the strawberry and rhubarb overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the rye.
molly Y. April 29, 2014
these are gorgeous, yossy!
Susan M. April 21, 2014
This was a hit! I had to modify the shortcakes because I had no rye flour, so substituted some almond meal and oat flour and added a bit of lemon zest to the dough. Also I put in 3 T honey and 2 T sugar.
Juliebell April 17, 2014
A favorite breakfast is rye toast with strawberry or apricot jam but I hadn't thought of this combo. Sounds wonderful, can't wait to try.