Strawberry shortcake

Makes 7 shortcakes

Ingredients

  • 100g ground almonds
  • 50g coconut flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax
  • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 65g almond butter
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla pod)
  • 50ml milk of your choice (plus a little extra to brush after cutting)

For the cream – two options…

Ricotta & mascarpone

  • 250g mascarpone
  • 250g ricotta
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla pod)

Cashew nut (plant-based) version

  • 125g cashews
  • 125ml filtered water
  • 1 tablespoon coconut butter (or cream)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla pod)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Pinch sea salt

Strawberry mix

  • 200g strawberries, washed, trimmed and sliced
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Start with the cream. if you are making the cashew nut version then blend all together in a high speed bender until you get a smooth consistency. Leave to cool at room temp for around 20 minutes before placing in the fridge. For the ricotta & mascarpone whisk using an electric hand mixer if you have, or by hand, and transfer to the fridge.

For the biscuits – you can mix these in a  bowl or if you want to make it easier use a food processor – this is what I have used. Place all the dry ingredients (ground almonds, coconut flour, flaxseed, bicarb and sea salt) in either and mix well. Then add the almond butter, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, vanilla extract (or pod) and pulse/mix together. Add the milk and pulse/mix together well to form the dough.

Transfer the dough (use a spatula to help get it all out) onto some parchment paper. Press into a rough square around an inch thick and place in the fridge for around an hour.

After this preheat the oven to 170C and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll (still on the parchment paper) to 1/4 inch thick. Use a 3 inch round cutter to cut out the biscuits and lay on the baking tray. Once you have all 14 cut brush lightly with a little extra milk and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for around 30 minutes.

Whilst these are cooling you can make the strawberries. Mix all together well and allow to macerate for 20-30 minutes

Then start with a base of one biscuit and add a tablespoon of the cream. Top with a tablespoon of the strawberry mix. Add biscuit on top, another tablespoon of cream and strawberry mix.

If you don’t want to make up in one go you can store the biscuits in a container and they will last around 3 days in the fridge as will both the creams. The strawberry mix really needs to be eaten the same day so you may have to remake this if you are not making in one go.