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THE ESSENTIAL STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

There are few things in life that give me as much pleasure as strawberry shortcake during the summer. Yes, it’s nostalgic from my childhood….blah blah blah; but all you really need to know is that THE BEST strawberry shortcake must include a sweet biscuit or shortcake rather than sponge cake. Being a fan of sponge cake with this dessert is kind of like choosing cats over dogs…so, if you’re a cat lover and sponge cake eater either consider our relationship OVER or simply keep it to yourself.

There’s magic in the chemistry of whipped cream, sugar steeped strawberries, and a sweet biscuit; mashed to mush with a spoon, then devoured completely. I love it with fireworks crashing in the background, but it’s not completely necessary to fully enjoy.

The shortcake recipe below is adapted by my friend and wunderkind pastry chef Tammy Varney; she recently baked three dozen of these golden gems for a party I cooked at last week…and I can’t stop thinking about them. Golden crunchy exterior, gentle soft center is nothing short of culinary nirvana. ..you won’t be disappointed. The rest of this dessert just requires fresh strawberries, sugar, and a little heavy cream with vanilla.

Do yourself a favor and make it today, I promise you won’t be disappointed; and there’s no doubt that you’ll reach the end completely happy, validated, and fulfilled…a feeling dog lovers are well acquainted with. Thump thump - ruff ruff!

THE ESSENTIAL STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

SERVES 8 TO 10 | PREP AND COOK TIME 2 HOURS

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE STRAWBERRIES

1½ pounds strawberries - hulled, halved, quartered

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Kosher salt

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

TECHNIQUE

Combine strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Transfer half of strawberries to a large saucepan and add a splash of water; allow remaining strawberries to rest in sugar and lemon while the other strawberries simmer.

Cook while stirring until the mixture reduces a bit and becomes thick, probably 15 minutes. Place in fridge to cool, stirring in 1 tsp. lemon juice. Stir remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice into raw, resting strawberries.

Combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt into a bowl of a mixer. Using a whisk attachment, whip on medium until soft peaks form.

FOR THE SHORTCAKE

SWEET SHORTCAKE BISCUITS

(Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction)

Makes 8-10, 3.5" biscuits

2 3/4 cup AP FLOUR (plus more for rolling and cutting)

1/4 cup GRANULATED SUGAR

4 tsp BAKING POWDER (aluminum free if possible)

1/2 tsp BAKING SODA

1 1/25 tsp KOSHER SALT

 3/4 cup UNSALTED BUTTER

1 cup BUTTERMILK, cold

2 Tbsp HEAVY CREAM or buttermilk

COARSE/CRYSTAL SUGAR for sprinkling

TECHNIQUE

  • Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt in the bowl of food processor, pulse until combined. 

  • Place cubed butter onto the flour mixture and chill the bowl in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. 

  • Place bowl back onto the processor and cut butter into the dry ingredients by pulsing several times in the processor until coarse crumbs form.

  • ALTERNATELY, mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, chill with cubed butter and cut in by hand.

  • Either way…pour the flour and butter mixture into a large mixing bowl.

  • Pour half the buttermilk on top and fold to combine with a fork, touching the dough as little as possible. Continue to add remaining buttermilk this way, looking for dry spots until it begins to come together.

  • Do not overwork the dough - it should be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots. 

  • Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands or a bench scraper. 

  • Using a floured rolling pin, flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle as best you can. Use a bench scraper to fold one side into the center, then the other side as you would fold a business letter.

  • Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. 

  • At this point you can either roll to 3/4” thick and cut the biscuits, or if the dough still seems too crumbly to work with, give it one more turn, then roll to 3/4” thick.

  • Cut biscuits with a floured 3” round cutter (without twisting the cutter) or with a floured knife into squares for no scraps to re-roll.

  • Place the biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet 2” apart and chill for 30 minutes in the freezer

  • Preheat oven to 400°F while biscuits are chilling.

  • Brush the tops of the chilled biscuits with cream or buttermilk, sprinkle generously with crystal sugar and bake in the center of the oven for 22-25 minutes or until deep golden in color.

Notes: Keep everything as cold as possible! These biscuits do not rise quite as much as traditional biscuits.

If the mixture starts to loose it’s coldness at any point, chill it for 15-20 minutes before proceeding.

You can re-roll scraps once by stacking them on top of each other and rolling to 3/4” again, then cutting.


ASSEMBLY

Split shortcakes and layer both strawberry applications with whipped cream from the bottom. Finish with shortcake lids. Devour.