Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcakes

Shortcakes--a summertime treat when strawberries are at their peak. Basically a lightly sweetened version of a good Southern biscuit, they are perfect for absorbing the juices of the strawberries for an easy make-ahead hot weather treat. But what if you are sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease? There are versions that use gluten-free flour, but they can be finicky and very crumbly. What then? How to improve? Try my recipe for gluten-free shortcakes.

Using a basic cornbread recipe, I developed an interesting and moist gluten-free cake. It's actually more like a muffin, but the heritage cornmeal turns this into a magic muffin that doubles as a gluten-free shortcake to pair easily with a citrusy strawberry salad and whipped cream. Here's the recipe in printable format.

This shortcake recipe uses Jimmy Red Cornmeal from Marsh Hen Mill. No surprise there. You know how much I love Jimmy Red Corn grits and cornmeal, and how much I believe in the Marsh Hen Mill folks and products. Baking the muffins in silicone cups means that they release easily and that my clean up will be short and sweet. Having the muffins ready ahead of serving time ensures that my socializing time is not compromised. I mean, why spend time baking when I can be catching up with my friends? I don't recommend assembling ahead of time--the muffins will get soggy.

Our dinner was outside on our new patio (new since last September). We had barbequed ribs, slaw, and baked potatoes. A short break, and here comes the shortcake dessert. Friend Tom (the one with celiac) couldn't have been happier! And the rest of us were delighted too. This dessert is not a compromise!

To serve, use large bowls. The muffins were baked earlier in the day or the night before. The strawberry-citrus salad was tossed before dinner was served, and the cream was whipped before our friends arrived. Place one half of the muffin in the bowl, top with a generous amount of the salad, dress with a huge spoonful of whipped cream, and cap with the other half of the muffin. How incredibly delicious can such a simple dessert be? Here's the recipe.