Sumac
blackberry
shortcakes
with
kefir
cream
An
American
shortcake
is
a
tender
cake–scone
composite
filled
with
seasonally
peaking
berries
and
a
cloud
of
cream.
I
wanted
customers
to
fall
in
love
with
them
at
the
shop,
but
they
never
quite
found
their
people.
But
take
the
components
to
a
picnic
gathering
and
you’ll
be
the
dessert
queen
of
summer,
serving
golden,
craggy
ingots
of
puffed
dough
bliss.
For
the
dough,
I
add
sieved
hard-boiled
egg
yolk – an
arcane
European
baking
tradition
that
is
like
throwing
road
spikes
at
gluten.
Stops
it
in
its
tracks!
And
it
makes
these
gold
bars
taste
a
little
richer.
Make
the
Sumac
blackberries
first,
for
a
sumptuous
soak.
In
a
wide
mixing
bowl,
swizzle
the
flour,
salt
and
bicarb
soda
together.
Add
the
butter
and
smoosh
between
your
fingers
into
thumbnail-
sized
flakes.
The
surrounding
flour
will
just
start
to
turn
a
pale
yellow.
Chill
while
you
prepare
the
egg
yolks.
Bring
a
small
saucepan
of
water
to
just
under
a
high-heat
boil.
Lower
the
eggs
in
on
a
slotted
spoon
and
simmer
for
9
minutes
to
hard-
boiled.
Cool
immediately
under
cold
water,
then
peel
off
the
shell.
Break
the
cooked
white
open
and
pluck
out
the
yolky
orbs.
Set
aside
in
a
small
fine
sieve.
The
expendable
cooked
egg
whites
can
be
chopped
up
into
a
herb
mayo
for
a
sandwich.
Or
a
treat
for
your
pet.
Hi
pups!
Push
the
cooked
egg
yolks
through
the
sieve
with
your
fingers,
then
scrape
the
underside
of
the
sieve
to
release
the
egg
yolk
threads.
Toss
lightly
through
the
flour
mix
and
chill
while
you
get
the
tray
ready.
This
dough
has
to
be
cold.
Line
a
30
cm
×
40
cm
(12
in
×
15¾
in)
shallow
baking
tray
with
cooking
oil
spray
and
a
piece
of
baking
paper.
Preheat
your
oven
to
210°C
(410°F).
continued
…
Keeps
After
being
baked,
airtight
and
at
room
temperature
for
a
day.
To
re-warm,
wrap
in
foil
and
heat
in
a
140°C
(285°F)
oven
for
20
minutes.
Makes
6
shortcakes.
Takes
A
little
over
1
hour
to
prep
and
bake.
You
can
freeze
the
cut
biscuits
for
a
week – just
bake
them
for
an
extra
minute.
1
×
batch
Sumac
blackberries
(page 279)
cooking
oil
spray
Shortcake
300
g
(10½
oz)
self-raising
flour
5
g
(⅛
oz/
heaped
½
teaspoon)
fine
sea
salt
3
g
(⅒
oz/
heaped
¼
teaspoon)
bicarbonate
of
soda
(baking
soda)
120
g
(4½
oz)
unsalted
butter,
cool
and
smooshable,
sliced
into
small
tiles
2
large
eggs,
in
shell
200
g/
ml
(7
oz)
kefir,
cold
Kefir
cream
filling
300
g/
ml
(10½
oz)
cream
(45%
milkfat)
100
g
(3½
oz)
kefir
5
g
(⅛
oz½
teaspoon)
vanilla
paste