Pistachio, Cherry, & Basil Shortcakes

Flakey, pistachio shortcakes filled with softly whipped vanilla bean chantilly and basil macerated dark sweet cherries. An elevated take on the summer classic.

Hi, everyone! I hope you are all doing well! Today I have a delicious spin on the summer classic: strawberry shortcake.

Strawberry shortcake (if you are horribly, tragically uninformed!) is comprised of a flakey, buttery, slightly sweet biscuit filled with fresh cream and macerated strawberries. Some people cook their strawberries, but I find this a gross waste of the most premium strawberries of the year! Cooking masks the gorgeous flavors of prime seasonality. I follow this same thought process for the preparation of the dark sweet cherries in this recipe.

As a recipe developer that strives to be original in the kitchen, this year’s iteration of shortcake (last year I did a peach, oregano, and cornmeal shortcake!) features a pistachio flour biscuit, softly whipped vanilla bean chantilly, and macerated dark sweet cherries. I’ve added chiffonaded basil to the cherries for a lovely, herbaceous note that ties into the earthiness of the ground pistachios marvelously well.

This bake is rustic, easy, and just beautiful to look at. The flavors are balanced, engaging, and not too sweet, making this the perfect dessert for a dinner party or afternoon treat. Happy baking!

---