Free Salty Sweets by Christie Matheson Page A

and up to 2 hours, then garnish with berries and serve cold.

Berry Berry Shortcakes
    In Westford, Massachusetts, where I grew up, there is a Strawberries & Art Festival every year in mid-June, held on the town common. The big draw is the strawberry shortcake, doled out in heaping portions with plenty of fresh whipped cream. When I was little, that was the only reason I wanted to go. Though I haven't attended the festival in years, strawberry shortcake is still one of my all-time faves. How can you go wrong? A simple shortcake split in two with fresh berries and whipped cream? All good. I especially love it with a mix of berries (when in season) and a touch of salt on top of the shortcakes, which makes them a little more savory and complements the sweet berries and cream. The Salted Shortcakes are also good with Roasted Summer Fruits ( [>] ) and a spoonful of Snappy Butterscotch Sauce ( [>] ).
    Â 
    MAKES 8 SERVINGS
    Â 
3
cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
3
cups fresh blueberries
¼
cup fresh orange juice
1
tablespoon sugar
Salted Shortcakes (recipe follows)
Brown Sugar Whipped Cream ( [>] ) or plain whipped cream
Combine the strawberries, blueberries, orange juice, and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the berries have released some of their juices.
Split the shortcakes in half. Spoon a generous amount of berries on the bottom half of each, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and place the top half of each shortcake just slightly askew on top of that. Serve immediately.
Salted Shortcakes
    MAKES EIGHT 3- INCH SHORTCAKES
    Â 
3
cups all-purpose flour
¼
cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1
tablespoon baking soda
½
teaspoon fine sea salt
¾
cup (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2
tablespoons grated orange zest
¾
cup buttermilk
2
tablespoons heavy cream
Grinder sea salt for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine the flour, ¼ cup of the sugar, the baking soda, and the fine sea salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for a few seconds. Add the cold butter pieces and mix on low just until the dough has a sandy, crumbly consistency.
Mix in the orange zest and then the buttermilk by hand until the dough is just moistened. Don't overmix. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and roll it out to about ½ inch thick. Cut it into eight 3-inch circles and arrange them on a baking sheet.
Brush the top of each circle with the cream and then sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and a quick grind of sea salt.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 to 12 minutes, until the shortcakes are golden. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes, then split in half horizontally. These are best served the day they are made.

Cornmeal Peach Crisp
    This crisp is inspired by Native American cooking, which features cornmeal and pine nuts in many delicious ways. Here those ingredients lend wonderful texture and flavor to the buttery, slightly salty topping of a homey dessert. Make this when peaches are in season locally—fresh, organic peaches make all the difference (mealy, flavorless, out-of-season supermarket peaches won't do). Serve this with vanilla ice cream or Almond Ice Cream ( [>] ).
    Â 
    MAKES 8 SERVINGS
    Â 
7
to
8
cups peeled and sliced peaches
2
tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1
cup granulated sugar
½
cup packed light brown sugar
1¼
cups all-purpose flour
1
cup yellow cornmeal
1
teaspoon fine sea salt
¾
cup (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½
cup toasted pine nuts ( [>] )
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Toss the peaches with the lemon juice in a medium-size bowl. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and ¼ cup of the flour. Add the sugar mixture to the peaches and mix well. Pour the peach mixture into a 9-inch square baking dish.
To make the topping, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment,