Strawberry Shortcakes

Strawberry Shortcakes

from The Food Librarian

Biscuits

2 1/2 C + 2 T (12 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1/4 c sugar

3/4 t salt

7 T unsalted butter, very cold

1 C heavy cream, very cold

Extra cream and sugar for the tops

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.

3. Cut butter into small pieces, and cut butter into dry ingredients. I used a pastry blender, but you can use two knives or your fingers to get pea size pieces of butter.

4. Make a well in the center and pour in the cream. Gently mix the dough together with a wooden spoon or your hands. Don't overmix...it'll look shaggy.

5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to 1-inch thick. I didn't have time for a roller so I just patted it out. Tartine uses a 4-inch circle cutter (for 6 circles). I used a small 2-inch circle cutter and got 15 biscuits.

6. Place biscuits on baking sheet (I placed on a Silpat) and brush tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.

7. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

For my shortcakes, I cut about a pint of strawberries and macerated them in some sugar - amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of your strawberries. I whipped some heavy cream (about 1 1/2 cups) and with sugar and vanilla (to taste). Assemble and serve immediately or within a few hours.

{cooks note}

These were a huge hit.  Not too sweet, but sweet enough with the sugar on the strawberries and the whipping cream.  Just make sure you do not overbake the shortcakes.  You want them to be moist, not dry.

Sift all dry ingredients together.

Cut butter into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients.

Once the butter is cut in, make a well in the center of your dry ingredients.  

Place the 1 cup of heavy cream in the center and gently mix the two together.

I used a small biscuit cutter to shape my shortcakes.  You can make them any size you want.  I was serving individual strawberry shortcakes for dessert, so I wanted mine to be larger than a bite size shortcake.  Don't forget to sprinkle sugar on the tops.

Not too light and not too dark.

A wonderful summer treat to serve after dinner.