Originally posted July 13, 2013

Almond and Wheat Bran Strawberry Shortcake

I usually make this recipe with oats, but I was out of oats and facing a surplus of strawberries, so I experimented with adding bran. It worked really well. I know many of you probably do not keep wheat bran on hand... but I recommend it. When you add it to white flour baking recipes it loses its health-food consistency and instead adds a bit of depth to a muffin or biscuit.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chilled milk
4-6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, sliced
Heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract.

6 3-4 inch rounds

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Pulse flour, bran, almonds, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until only pea-size pieces remain. Add milk; pulse until large moist clumps form.

Knead until dough comes together, about 4 turns. Arrange into rounds on prepared baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Set biscuits on a wire rack; let cool.

Prepare strawberries, removing tops and quartering the berries.

Slice each cake in half, add strawberries and, if you like, whipped cream. Voila.

30-40 minutes