From “The Art and Soul of Baking,” by Sur La Table with Cindy Mushet. Serves 8.
Ingredients
For the shortcakes:
2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup (2 1/2ounces) firmly packed brown sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) cold buttermilk
2 tablespoons light unsulfured molasses
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons turbinado or raw sugar
For the apples:
6 large, tart baking apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more if needed
For the cider sabayon:
6 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) Calvados or other apple brandy
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) apple juice
3/4 cup (6 ounces) heavy whipping cream
Directions
Make the shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and position an oven rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a thin silicone mat. Place flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 10 seconds to blend well. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse 5 times at 1-second intervals, or until the butter is cut into medium pieces. Combine the buttermilk with the molasses and then pour in the buttermilk mixture and pulse another 20 times, or until the dough holds together in large, thick clumps. Use a spatula to scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently squeeze or knead the clumps together until they form a cohesive dough.
Lightly dust the work surface with flour and pat the dough into an 8-by-4-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise and into quarters crosswise, making 8 2-inch squares. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush off any excess flour and space them evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar generously over the tops and press lightly into the surfaces. Bake for 14-15 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden in color. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Caramelize the apples: While the shortcakes are baking, toss the apple slices with the sugar and cinnamon until evenly coated. You might think that there are too many apple slices, but they shrink quite a bit during the cooking process. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. When it has melted, swirl the pan to coat it with the melted butter, turn the heat to high, add half of the apple slices and spread in a single layer. (Note: Don’t try to cook the apples all at once — if you crowd them, they’ll poach in their own juices rather than caramelize.) Cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes. Gently toss or stir the apples. Cook for 2 minutes longer, then toss or stir again. Continue in this manner until the apples are golden brown and cooked through (the tip of a paring knife should slide easily in and out of the slices), yet still hold their shape, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate.
Make the sabayon: Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and water and set it aside. Place 2 inches of water in the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce to a simmer. Place the egg yolks and sugar in the top of the double boiler off the heat and whisk briefly, just until well blended and slightly lightened in color. Add the Calvados and apple juice and blend well. Place the egg mixture over the simmering water and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes (a hand mixer can be used here), or until it becomes very light and fluffy, resembling softly whipped cream in texture. If you see the sauce beginning to scramble around the edges, quickly remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and whisk vigorously. This will usually save the sauce. As soon as the sauce is finished, remove top of double boiler from the heat. Place immediately in a bowl of ice water. Stir occasionally with the spatula until cold to the touch.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer and a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Use a clean spatula to fold the whipped cream into the cooled sauce.
Assemble and serve the scones: Split the warm shortcakes in half and place a bottom half on each plate. Spoon the apples onto the shortcakes bottoms, allowing some to fall onto the plate. Top with a generous spoonful of cider sabayon. Place the scone tops slightly askew and serve immediately.
Getting ahead: The shortcake dough can be cut, placed on the baking sheet, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. The cut dough can also be wrapped airtight on the baking sheet and frozen for up to 6 weeks — do not defrost before baking. In either case, the shortcakes will not rise quite as high as when the dough is freshly made, but they will be delicious nonetheless. The sabayon can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered. If it softens, use a whisk to whip it back to the desired firmness just before serving. The apples can be cooked up to 8 hours in advance and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Undercook the apples slightly, as they will continue to cook when you reheat them in a saute pan just before serving.
