Meyer Lemon Shortcakes with Meyer Curd

Remember that Meyer lemon curd I made last month? I had all these grand ideas about recipes I would use it in, but at the end of the day, I just couldn’t keep my spoon out of it I wound up with just a little left, and was determined to repurpose it. When I came across this idea for a shortcake, I was sold. Strawberry shortcake is among my top 3 desserts of all time, but good strawberries are a rarity this time of year in the northeast so as much as I’d have loved a strawberry shortcake on Valentine’s Day, it likely wasn’t going to happen. A citrus-y winter variation on the dessert, though? That we can do, and I was pretty sure it’d be right up my alley.

The shortcakes at the heart of this dessert are a cinch to throw together – just a few simple pantry ingredients and about 5 minutes of hands-on time. When you cut into the biscuits after baking, the little specks of Meyer lemon zest that were incorporated are not only visible, but the flavor they impart is bright and fresh. You could really take this dessert in any direction you want – I spread whipped cream and the curd between the two halves of the biscuits, as well as on top, along with a few raspberries. I liked the sweetness the whipped cream added, but you could skip it if you’re looking to save calories. You can make all of the components ahead of time, so this is a great dessert for entertaining too. If you can’t find Meyers, this would probably be equally as good with regular lemon curd, or even grapefruit or blood orange.

Happy Valentine’s Day! If you’re in the camp that celebrates this day, hope it’s a good one

Meyer Lemon Shortcakes with Meyer Lemon Curd
from Bon Appetit, March 2010 (via Epicurious)

1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest
1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Meyer lemon curd
raspberries (or whatever fruit you prefer)
whipped cream

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the sugar and lemon zest to a medium bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until fragrant. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine. Add the butter, then use a pastry cutter (or your fingertips) to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1 cup of the cream, just until the dough begins to clump together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gather together. Press into a 7-inch round (about 1-inch thick) and use a 2-inch cutter to cut rounds (or press into a rectangle 1-inch high and just cut into squares, like I did). Gather the scraps (if you cut rounds) and cut additional rounds. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.

Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and sprinkle them with the turbinado sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely.

To assemble: Cut one of the biscuits in half. Spread the bottom with a layer of whipped cream, then a dollop of curd and a few raspberries (I cut mine in half). Place the top half of the biscuit on top and finish with additional whipped cream, curd and raspberries for garnish.

Makes 8 biscuits