Aprium Shortcake

Aprium is about 70% apricot and 30% plum. And its name is patented by Zaiger's Genetics. Another moment - the company name screams GMO. But it turns out the company, founded decades ago by Floyd Zaiger, is a leading innovator in new varieties of fruit, hand-pollinating thousands of crosses every year (they actually don't use genetic modification at all) and is, as this article puts it, "the most prolific fruit breeder in the world". To bring it down to consumer level, Zaiger's company is the sole reason you see so many white-fleshed peaches and nectarines on the shelves, and buy more of them, too. And the reason for the existence of the pluot, a fact which gave me pause. Another moment. Because in this house we have a love affair with the Dapple Dandy pluot. Hm. Without the creator of the aprium, there would be no Dapple Dandies.

6 apriums or apricots, diced
⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp. pure maple sugar, fine granulated sugar or confectioners' sugar
1½ cup white whole-wheat flour
¼ cup brown rice flour
2 tsp. baking powder
⅛ tsp. fine sea salt
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
2 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
granulated cane sugar

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7). Butter an 8x1½" cake pan.

Place chopped apriums in a large bowl, sprinkle with maple sugar and toss well. Set aside to macerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Sift the flours, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender cut the butter until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in 2 Tbsp. of the sugar. Pour ⅔ cup of the heavy cream over the flour mixture and stir with a blunt knife just until the dough sticks together.

Lightly gather the dough into a ball and pat into a disk. It will be dry enough that you'll lose pieces off the edges. No matter. Just pat them back in. Set the disk in the prepared cake pan and pat it evenly over the bottom.

Brush the surface of the dough with 1 Tbsp. of the cream and sprinkle with ½ Tbsp. of the sugar. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and feels firm when pressed lightly in the center. Invert the shortcake onto a rack, turn it right-side up and let cool for 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1 ⅓ cups cream with the vanilla and the remaining 1 Tbsp. maple sugar. Beat the cream until soft peaks form, 2-3 minutes.

Serve simply, a wedge of shortcake topped with the apriums and a dollop of whipping cream.