The last of my grandma’s apricots shortcake
My dear grandmother went home to heaven a few months ago. My last grandparent (so very blessed to have one still being in my late thirties) and Elderflowers Great-grandmother (how very blessed she was too). A true matriarch, kind, strong willed and fiercely loving of her children and grandchildren. I can see a lot of her in all the woman of my family. She brought me my first cook book which I poured over, reading every word cover to cover and igniting my love of cooking. She was a trained pharmacist, dispensing, back then, mostly herbs and botanicals and passing that right onto me. Her garden was full of productive fruit trees and flowers and herbs and every autumn there was much food to collect and preserve. The cooking, mothering, gardening gene is very strong in our family. By fortunate timing I’d just sold my cafe and for the first time in years had time on my hands and was able to go back home up north with my mum and Elderflower to spend her last special days with her. Despite knowing her time still here was short, she sure still had an appetite! This same shortcake (but with feijoas from my Aunty’ s garden) was the last thing I made for her, all wrapped up on a china plate with plenty of whipped cream and delivered to the hospital. Today I made the apricot version with the last precious apricots safely stored away in her freezer. I love how food links us to family and memories and traditions, how blessed are we to have the joy of food in our lives.
Apricot Shortcake Recipe
Ingredients:
10 or more fresh or frozen apricots, halved and pitted
180g (1 ½ cups) unsalted butter, softened
180g (1 cup) caster sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a baking tin or cake tin, lining it with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla essence to the butter mixture, and continue to beat for about 5 minutes until well combined.
Sift the flour and baking powder together and gradually incorporate it into the butter mixture using a wooden spoon. It's fine if the dough is slightly overworked.
Spread about two-thirds of the pastry mixture into the prepared baking tin, creating an even base.
Arrange the halved and pitted apricots over the pastry base.
Take small pieces of the remaining pastry and drop them over the apricots, creating a rustic top crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown.
Once baked, remove from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve the apricot shortcake warm or at room temperature. It can be enjoyed on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
