Amaranth Strawberry Shortcakes

This is my adaptation of Alice Medrich's Buckwheat Strawberry Shortcakes. I do like buckwheat flour, but I am always looking for new ways to use amaranth. It gives a nice nutty-sweetness to baked goods. I filled the shortcakes with strawberries and a little honey. These are simple to make and a great way to use up summer berries.

I was rushing to get these baked and I should have left them in the oven to brown a bit longer. Even pale, they were tasty and we gobbled them up.

Amaranth Strawberry Shortcakes

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons amaranth flour
1/4 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream (or a vegan cream substitute such as MimicCreme)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with two layers of parchment paper.

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour the cream into it. Use a rubber spatula to push the dry ingredients from the sides of the bowl into the well, cutting and turning the mixture just until the dry ingredients are almost entirely moistened and the dough looks rough and shaggy. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently against the sides of the bowl five or so times, just until it holds together and the bowl is fairly clean.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and pat it into a 6-inch square about 3/4 inch thick. Trim the edges, using a sharp knife and quick downward strokes. Cut the dough into 9 squares. Place them at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Brush tops with some cream or milk, and sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake the shortcakes until the tops are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a rack.