Is there anything better than fresh picked strawberries? How about taking those berries and layering them between delicious biscuits and cream...keeping it vegan and gluten-free, of course?!
These strawberry shortcakes are the perfect dessert for summer celebrating: with a grain-free biscuit base - that can be made days ahead -- and a swift assembly when your guests are ready for something sweet.
The biscuits are a delight on their own with a cake-like flavor and never dry. Making and chilling them in advance provides a sturdy texture for holding up piles of strawberries and cream - or in this case, coconut yogurt - providing the perfect balance of cream to these cakes.
These are best assembled on the spot: whether you are sharing with your significant other, gathering with good friends, or feasting with family.
If you're inspired to make the most of this berry season, consider pairing strawberries with balsamic vinegar in this Balsamic Strawberry Trifle, maybe bake up a sweet Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, or indulge in this luxurious Strawberry Lime Macadamia Cheesecake.
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Strawberry Shortcake
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 6
Category: Cake
Method: baked
Cuisine: dessert, vegan- Diet: Gluten Free
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Pin RecipeDescription
The perfect dessert for summer, these vegan strawberry shortcakes feature a grain-free biscuit base and are refined sugar-free.
Ingredients
Biscuits:
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted but not hot
- 1 tbsp flax meal
- 5 tbsp plant-based milk, divided*
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon tapioca flour, divided
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Berries and Cream Layers:
- 1 qt fresh strawberries, rinsed and air dried**
- 1-2 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 cups coconut yogurt, unsweetened***
Instructions
Make the Biscuits (up to 3 days in advance):
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flax meal, 3 tablespoon of the milk (I use unsweetened almond), vanilla, and lemon juice. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, until mixture thickens. Whisk in melted coconut oil until well incorporated and no separation of the clear oil remains. Put bowl in freezer for 10 minutes -- this gives the mixture stability and a uniform consistency.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, ½ cup of the tapioca flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt until combined.
- Blend the chilled, wet ingredients into dry ingredients with a spatula until combined. The dough will be thick and fairly sticky.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoon tapioca flour on your work surface. Divide dough into 6 equal parts: approximately 1⁄3 cup each. Roll each section into a ball with your hands then roll the ball of dough into tapioca until no longer sticky. Set dough balls onto parchment lined baking sheet, flattening gently to make biscuit shapes. Set oven to 350° F and freeze discs of dough on pan for 15 minutes while the oven heats up.
- Brush the biscuit tops and sides with 2 tablespoon remaining milk. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden and tops are nice and crackly. Allow biscuits to cool completely on the baking sheet then transfer to fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. As they chill, the biscuits will become sturdier and easier to cut. If storing longer, place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Assemble Shortcakes:
- Set aside 6 of the best looking berries to put on top of the shortcakes. Hull and slice the remaining strawberries until you reach 2 cups of sliced berries. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoon coconut sugar over the sliced berries and gently stir to coat.
- Slice biscuits in half. Spoon or pipe (approximately 2 tbsp) yogurt onto bottom half of each biscuit and top with sliced berries. Place top halves on berries. Spoon or pipe another dollop of yogurt on top on each shortcake and finish with a a whole berry. Serve assembled shortcakes, along with the remaining sweetened berry slices, and enjoy!
Notes
*For testing, I used unsweetened almond milk because I always have some on hand. Any plant based milk will do.
**One quart of berries will typically yield 2 cups of sliced berries plus a few whole berries.
***Use yogurt with a thick consistency. Other vegan unsweetened, plain or vanilla, yogurts will also work. If you prefer, feel free to substitute the yogurt with a whipped coconut cream topping, like the one in this cream puff recipe.
