{ Strawberry Shortcakes }

Strawberry Piking at Del Val Farm

I am fully aware that it is no longer strawberry-picking season (which seriously dates this blog post and/or showcases my aptitude for procrastination), but this recipe makes for a fabulous summer dessert and I figure that its only August, so better late than never! Anyways, the second largest BBQ celebration of the season (Labor Day) is just around the corner, and I know a lot of you are going to parties that will entail you to bring something…a dessert, perhaps?!

Rather than going the Betty Crocker brownie route or bringing the horrendously outdated and predictable pineapple upside-down cake, why not surprise everyone with these light and delicious strawberry shortcakes? I promise you that people WILL be relieved to see a desert that boasts fresh fruit, rather than miniature gems of unnaturally bright maraschino cherries. And I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t like shortcake. I’ve met people who love it and people who are indifferent to it, but its almost too cheerful of a desert to really hate. I mean its fresh fruit and whipped cream on a vanilla scented biscuit that’s composed of butter and sugar…what is there to dislike?

This recipe is very simple and especially perfect for a party because it can be made ahead of time. I usually make the shortcakes a day prior to serving them, using an airtight container for storage, and I also like to marinate the sliced strawberries in powdered sugar overnight so that they produce a naturally sweet syrup!

Depending on the number of people that you are serving, you can either allow guests to assemble their own shortcakes (using canned whipped cream or Cool Whip as a shortcut), or you can go for aesthetics, make homemade whipped cream, and put together the shortcakes for them with a lovely presentation. If you chose to go the latter route, then blackberries, raspberries, and mint leaves make for great plate garnishes (as well as a generous dusting of powdered sugar!).

{ Ingredients }

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 pints of fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• Powdered sugar
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream

{ To Make Shortcakes } Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking sheet (or line it with parchment paper as I do) and set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix.

Add the butter cubes into the flour mixture, using your finger tips to crumble the mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. (You can also cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender, but I don’t have one yet 😦 )

Add the cream and stir to mix until the dough begins to come together. Be careful not to overwork the dough though, or the shortcakes will be tough!

Move the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work into a round shape. Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/2 – 3/4 inch. Then use a round cookie cutter (I used 3″ in diameter) to cut out small biscuit shapes. Remove the disks and place on prepared baking sheet, baking for 12-15 minutes (or until the tops are a golden brown). Place on baking rack to cool completely.

Shortcakes, before they're baked

Shortcakes, after they're baked!

{ To Make Homemade Whipped Cream } In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream using a whisk attachment, until soft peaks form. Gradually, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Do not over beat though, or the mixture will become grainy. Refrigerate up to 6 hours, until ready to use!

{ To Make Strawberry Topping } Place the hulled and stemmed strawberries into a large glass bowl and top with a generous dusting of powdered sugar, mixing to combine (Remember: The more sugar, the more syrup!). Allow to sit for at least a few hours or overnight.

{ To Assemble Shortcakes } Cut the shortcakes in half using a serrated knife. Using an ice cream scooper, put a generous dollop of strawberries with their syrup onto the bottom cake. Using another ice cream scooper, put a heap of whipped cream onto of the strawberries. Gently press the top piece of shortcake back on top of the whipped cream and sprinkle with powdered sugar.