strawberry shortcake

strawberry shortcake main

I have no idea why it took me so long to make my first shortcake this year- strawberry shortcake is usually the first dessert to come out of my kitchen in the summer. With berry season in full swing, I can’t seem to get through a trip to the store without coming home with at least one container of berries and shortcake is such an easy and delicious way to get rid of them. I’ve been eating them plain, dredged in ganache, soaked in vodka, in and/or atop my pancakes, and today (FINALLY) – with shortcake.

Where strawberry shortcake is concerned, there are generally two types of people: those who prefer a biscuity shortcake, and those who prefer angel food. Having grown up with mom making Bisquick shortcake, I fall into the former category. BF, however, thinks I’m stupid and prefers his strawberries atop angel food cake. Unfortunately, our passionate strawberry shortcake views had never really been discussed, that is until I was already halfway through my shortcakes. Unfortunately for him, at least. I still got my shortcakes. 🙂 Unfortunately for me – now I have the last excuse I needed to go out and buy a tube pan to make angel food cake… But I digress, back to the shortcake…

Generally speaking, I’m a firm believer of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” As such, I will use Bisquick to make my shortcakes 99.9% of the time. Every once in a while, though, I will see a recipe that catches my eye. This is one such recipe. I found this particular strawberry shortcake recipe on the kitchn.

Since it uses a food processor it’s still more or less a “one-bowl” recipe, which made it easier for me to justify straying from my super-quick bisquick shortcakes. The only part that really required additional work was rolling and cutting the shortcakes, instead of Bisquick’s “scoop-and-drop” method (or, if you’re especially lazy, “press-into-bottom-of-pan” method).

These shortcakes are indeed very tasty, and a slightly better texture than Bisquick usually ends up with. Since they aren’t much more difficult, I’d definitely recommend giving them a try, if you’re a “shortcake” kinda girl (or boy). Then again, I’d probably eat just about anything if you covered it with macerated strawberries and freshly-whipped cream (just look at those flecks of vanilla bean, absolutely divine!). However, even the anti-shortcake BF devoured this batch of shortcakes (and several more throughout the week). That must count for something, right?

Strawberry Shortcake

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Macerated Strawberries

  • Strawberries, chopped or sliced
  • sugar to taste (about a tablespoon)
  • Splash of lemon juice

Whipped Cream

  • 1 C heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract

Shortcake “Biscuits”

  • 4 C all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/3 C sugar
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 1/2 C heavy cream, plus extra for glazing
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp turbinado sugar (if you don’t want to buy a whole thing, just snag a few packets of “raw” sugar from your local Starbucks ;))

Preheat oven to 425° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir your strawberries with the sugar & lemon juice, set aside.

  1. In the bowl of a food processor pulse the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to combine. Add the and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour until the butter is the size of “kidney beans”.
  2. Add the cream and vanilla and pulse again until a shaggy dough is formed. Turn dough onto a dry, clean work surface and gather all the bits into a ball. Be careful not to overwork the dough or it will be tough. You want the dough to be barely holding together. (It will still be sticky)
  3. Roll the dough ball to about an inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter (I used a 1.5 inch cutter) – a jar or glass will work just as well. Place on lined baking sheet & brush lightly with cream; sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until just golden brown. Allow to cool on wire rack.
  5. While biscuits are baking, make your whipped cream. Whip cold cream until bubbly. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and continue to whip until soft or stiff peaks form (depending on how firm you want your whipped cream to be).

To assemble:
Slice biscuit in half and top with strawberries, then whipped cream, then top of biscuit, then more strawberries and more whipped cream! YUM!

Also, you can cut or crumble the biscuit into a small bowl & top with strawberries and whipped cream.

I like to warm my sliced biscuit for a few seconds in the microwave before topping, but that’s just me. I also like to eat the biscuit plain as a snack (don’t judge).

In case you needed it…

My usual (Bisquick) shortcake recipe – tried and true and full of nostalgia for the shortcake of my youth… I also like to use this recipe when I’m (ahem) “watching what I eat”… I mean, aside form just watching it go into my mouth…

You can swap the sugar for sugar substitute, omit the butter (but, it’s only 3 tablespoons, will it really kill you?), and use skim milk…

Bisquick Shortcake:

  • 2 1/3 cups Bisquick baking mix
  • 3 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 Tbsp sugar (or sugar substitute)

Heat oven to 425°F. Stir baking mix, melted butter, milk, and 3 Tbsp of sugar in a mixing bowl until soft dough forms.

Drop by 6 spoonfuls on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

* I’ve also pressed this into an 8 x 8 baking pan and baked until golden brown. Cut and serve desired size slice.

* If you get the “heart healthy” bisquick, I believe they omit the butter and just use skim milk

[shortcake recipe adapted from the kitchn]

 

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