Spiced Shortcakes With Minted Peaches Food

PEACH SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• For the marinated peaches: Mix together the granulated sugar, orange liqueur, basil and orange zest in a bowl. Add the peaches and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• For the sweet biscuits: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until it is incorporated. Mix the buttermilk and vanilla together in a small pitcher. Slowly add the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, stirring the contents of the bowl as you do so, until just combined.
• Form 6 biscuits and place them into a cast-iron skillet. Sprinkle the tops generously with coarse sugar. Bake until golden brown, 24 to 26 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• For the whipped cream: Using an electric mixer, whisk together the heavy cream and granulated sugar until soft peaks form.
• To serve, halve the biscuits, then place the bottom halves on serving plates. Top with the whipped cream and marinated peaches. Rest the biscuit tops on the side so the filling is visible. Garnish with torn basil.

OATMEAL SHORTCAKES WITH SPICED PLUMS

Steps:

• Make shortcakes:
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Using fingertips, rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk; stir until dough forms.
• Drop dough onto prepared baking sheet, forming six 2 1/2-inch-diameter biscuits and spacing 3 inches apart. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake until biscuits are golden and tester inserted into biscuit comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cool. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Make fruit:
• Combine plums, 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice, ginger and cinnamon in heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until plums release their juices but are still firm, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add butter. Stir until butter melts. Cool slightly.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream and powdered sugar in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Using serrated knife, slice off top 1/3 of biscuits. Transfer biscuit bottoms to plates. Spoon half of plum mixture over biscuits. Spoon whipped cream atop plum mixture. Spoon remaining plum mixture atop cream, dividing equally. Place biscuit tops over plum mixture. Serve immediately.

SPICED PEACHES

Steps:

• Mix sugar, vinegar, and water in a 5 quart pan.
• Tie the allspice and the cloves in cheesecloth. Put this and the cinnamon into the mixture.
• Cover and boil for 5 minutes.
• Peel the peaches and drop into boiling syrup, a few at a time.
• Simmer until tender; about 5 minutes.
• Pack the peaches into sterile jars, cover with the syrup and seal process in water bath for 10 minutes.

SPICED SHORTCAKES WITH MINTED PEACHES

Steps:

• Make filling: In a small saucepan of boiling water blanch peach 1 minute and drain. Peel and pit peach and slice thin. In a small bowl toss peach slices with sugar, mint, and lemon juice.
• Make shortcakes: Preheat oven to 425°F.
• In a small bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and a pinch salt. Add cream and stir with a fork until mixture just forms a dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and with floured hands pat into a 6- by 3-inch rectangle. With a sharp knife trim edges and halve dough crosswise to form two 3-inch squares.
• Arrange dough squares 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in middle of oven until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. (Squares will spread more than they will rise.) Transfer shortcakes to a rack and cool 10 minutes.
• Make whipped cream: In a small bowl with an egg beater or electric mixer beat cream with sugar until it just holds soft peaks and beat in vanilla.
• Split shortcakes with a serrated knife and put a bottom half on each of 2 plates. Top with peaches and any liquid, whipped cream, and shortcake tops.