masa strawberry shortcake

Masa Shortcake with a Craft Beer-kissed Strawberry Syrup

Tips

why masa harina

Masa harina adds a subtle corn flavor to the shortcake, which can be a nice complement to the sweetness of the strawberries. Masa harina doesn’t contain gluten, which can lead to a crumblier texture in the shortcake compared to a traditional all-flour recipe. I find this a desirable textural contrast to the juicy strawberries and whipped cream.

Beer and strawberrries

This recipe is practically bursting with summer vibes, just like those juicy berries popping up at the market. You know what else screams summer in the PNW? Light, fruity beers! Gose, sour, saison – you name it, berries and summer go hand in hand.

Being a total beer enthusiast, I’m always on the hunt for ways to sneak my favorite brews into my food. So, reducing a delicious summer beer and swirling it into the strawberry sauce was a no-brainer. This is unexpected pairing aidds a whole new layer of flavor, taking your taste buds on a trip way beyond the classic strawberry shortcake filling. Get ready to ditch the ordinary and dive into this new summer sensation.

Cooking pan selection

This recipe uses a jumbo muffin pan, which has 6 cups. These are larger than the regular 12 cup muffin pan. If you use the 12 cup muffin pan the cook time will be 8-12 minutes.

If you do not have a muffin pan, you can freeform bake these, like a biscuit. I recommend brushing them with melted butter before baking.

storage recommendations

Masa shortcakes, can be stored in an airtight container either at room temperature, or in the fridge. Please note after 2 days the shortcakes may be dryer, luckily this means more strawberry syrup will be soaked up! For the strawberry syrup, I recommend storing in a mason jar, or any airtight container. Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

strawberry shortcake

Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour | Serving size: 6 shortcakes

Gather

masa shortcake

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• Jumbo Cupcake Pan (6 cups)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Zest from one lemon
• 1 cup masa harina
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

strawberry syrup

• 1 cup of your favorite strawberry gose or sour (optional)
• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 4 sprigs thyme
• Softly whipped cream and finely grated lemon zest (for serving)

Follow

masa shortcake

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray. Do not line with cups; we want to promote browning.
2. Whisk buttermilk, butter and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk masa, baking powder, salt, sugar  and flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Mix until just incorporated; do not overwork the batter. 
4. Divide batter evenly among jumbo muffin cups. Bake shortcakes until golden brown and risen, 15 to 20 minutes. Let slightly cool then gently flip shortcakes onto wire rack.

strawberry syrup

1. If using gose or sour: In a small saucepan, over medium heat, reduce gose or sour. Stir occasionally. Reduce to 1¼ cup to 1½ cup, about 15-20 minutes. If you want to use this pan for the strawberries, pour into a cup and set aside. 
2. In the same saucepan (if using beer), add strawberries, ⅓ cup sugar, vanilla bean (or extract), lemon juice and thyme springs. Heat in saucepan over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until berries begin to release their juices. Strain strawberry liquid into beer reduction, if using. Do not add strawberries just yet. 
3. Add ⅔ cup of sugar into strawberry sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Add strawberries into sauce.
4. When ready, serve shortcake with strawberry sauce, top with whipped cream and lemon zest.