Strawberry & Pistachio Shortcakes
with Lemon Pastry Cream &
Whipped Crème Fraiche

Serves 4 Lemon Pastry Cream 1 cup milk ¼ cup sugar 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 large egg 2 tablespoons butter, melted ¾ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest Crème Fraiche 1 ¾ cups heavy cream ¼ cup cultured buttermilk Sugar, to taste Shortcakes 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder ¼ cup sugar ½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream ¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped 1 egg, lightly beaten with an equal amount of water to make an egg wash 4 cups strawberries, cleaned and quartered Powdered sugar for dusting (optional) Finely chopped lemon zest for garnish (optional) Lemon Pastry Cream Combine ¾ cup of the milk with the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup milk and cornstarch, making sure there are no lumps. Whisk in the egg. Add this mixture to the boiling milk and sugar, whisking continuously until mixture returns to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the melted butter and lemon zest. Transfer mixture to a bowl and place a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until cool. Crème Fraiche Warm the cream to about 100 degrees. Whisk in the buttermilk and transfer to a bowl or jar. Cover tightly and store in a warm place until it thickens, about 8 to 24 hours (a turned-off oven with the light left on is a good spot). Refrigerate until ready to use. (Sugar will be whipped in just before serving.) Shortcakes In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. With your hands, work the chilled butter into the dry ingredients until most of the butter chunks are pea-sized. Mix in the cream and the pistachios. Do not overmix. Wrap dough and refrigerate for 1 hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until approximately 1 inch thick. Using a 3 ½-inch round cookie cutter, cut into 4 shortcakes. Place on a baking sheet and let rest in refrigerator for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush tops of shortcakes with the egg wash. Place the baking sheet on top of another baking sheet (this prevents shortcake bottoms from overbrowning). Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool shortcakes on rack. To assemble: Whip the Crème Fraiche until it forms soft peaks, adding sugar to taste. Split the shortcakes horizontally and spread a spoonful of Lemon Pastry Cream on the bottom halves. Top the Lemon Pastry Cream with strawberries. Place a spoonful of Lemon Pastry Cream on the inside of the top halves and place on top of the strawberries. Dust tops of assembled shortcakes with powdered sugar, then garnish with a generous dollop of sweetened Crème Fraiche. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve immediately with a glass of Wente Vineyards Estate Grown Sauvignon Blanc. Enjoy with a glass of Wente Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc!!! Lisa Shaver, Pastry Chef The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards

SUGGESTED WINE WENTE VINEYARDS ESTATE GROWN SAUVIGNON BLANC What might at first glance seem an unlikely match for our Strawberry and Pistachio Shortcakes with Lemon Pastry Cream and Whipped Crème Fraiche is actually an inspired pairing! With light aromas of lemon and pineapple and enticing flavors of ripe melon, our 2005 Wente Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc wonderfully echoes the citrus flavors of the Lemon Pastry Cream, the ripe sweetness of the strawberries and the subtle nuttiness of the pistachios. Crafted entirely from Livermore Valley fruit, this refreshing wine was aged in stainless steel, a process that allows it to retain its natural fruit flavors. This means that it’s not only a great match for light desserts but an excellent choice to serve with the rest of your spring menu! More about this wine