Chocolate Shortcakes With Sour Cherry Topping

Name: Chocolate Shortcakes With Sour Cherry Topping
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 5 cups fresh sour cherries, pitted (water-packed are fine too, drain well); 3/4 cup honey, plus; 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 cups all-purpose flour (approximately); 2/3 cup sugar; 2/3 cup cocoa; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 lb cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces; 2 large egg yolks; 3/4 cup buttermilk; 1 1/2 cups heavy cream; 1 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (+ additional); 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Submitted by evelynathens

"Chocolatey biscuits topped with dollops of whipped cream and drizzled with a sour-sweet cherry topping."

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photo by PaulaG

Ready In:: 50mins
Ingredients:: 16
Serves:: 6

ingredients

Cherry Topping
5 cups fresh sour cherries, pitted (water-packed are fine too, drain well)
³⁄₄ cup honey, plus
¹⁄₄ cup balsamic vinegar
¹⁄₄ teaspoon cinnamon
Shortcake Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour (approximately)
²⁄₃ cup sugar
²⁄₃ cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
¹⁄₂ teaspoon baking soda
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
¹⁄₄ lb cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large egg yolks
³⁄₄ cup buttermilk
Garnish
1 ¹⁄₂ cups heavy cream
1 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons confectioners' sugar (+ additional)
³⁄₄ teaspoon vanilla extract

directions

For cherry topping: In small saucepan combine all topping ingredients and cook over medium-high heat, until cherries start to release their juice and the liquid thickens and becomes syrupy, 6-7 minutes; cool and refrigerate until needed (you can make this up to 1 day ahead).
For shortcake biscuits: Preheat oven to 350F and set rack in middle of oven; combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl until blended; rub butter into flour mixture with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal; in a small bowl, whisk egg yolks with buttermilk to blend; add to flour mixture and stir just until evenly moistened; turn dough out onto a floured board and, with lightly floured hands, knead just until it comes together (if the dough is very sticky, sprinkle on some additional all purpose flour); pat out to about 1 1/4 inches thick and cut into rounds with a 3 inch cutter; gather dough scraps and pat out again to make remaining shortcake biscuits; set 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet; bake biscuits for approximately 25 minutes, or until golden-brown, and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
For whipped cream: Beat cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
To assemble: Slice shortcake biscuits in half and set bottoms of biscuits on 6 dessert plates; dollop generously with whipped cream and distribute cherry topping evenly over the cream; place biscuit tops over cherries at a slight angle and sprinkle tops lightly with confectioners' sugar.

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Reviews

Yummy! This rating is just for the shortcakes (I used strawberries instead). I reduced the sugar by half and thought they were perfect that way...the dark chocolatey flavor really shone through. Also, I made 9 drop biscuits rather than rolling out the dough. It worked just fine. :)

A Messy Cook
The addition of balsamic vinegar to the cherry topping adds a wonderful richness. This is definitely an adult dessert that is decadent. The only thing I changed was increasing the cinnamon to 1/2 teaspoon. Delicious!

PaulaG