Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

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A Strawberry Shortcake has the classic combination of biscuit, fresh strawberries and cream, that never fails to delight. This is casual food at its best, and it is what we love to eat during the summer months at backyard barbecues and other informal gatherings. The beauty of this dessert is while it does need to be assembled shortly before serving, each component can be made beforehand. 

A good Shortcake starts with a cream scone. The perfect scone has a crisp exterior with an interior that is light and fluffy with a rich buttery flavor. A few things to keep in mind when making scones; always have the butter cold, add the liquid to the dry ingredients all at once, and mix everything together quickly and lightly. Of course, having the scones come out of the oven shortly before assembling the Shortcake would be ideal, but not very practical for most cooks. So, my advise is to make the scones the day they are going to be served and if you want warm scones, simply reheat.

Next, the strawberries. Always buy strawberries when they are in season. Look for ones that are bright red, plump, and firm, with no white or green "shoulders" at the stem end. The green leaf-like cap or hull should still be attached and it should not be brown or wilted. There should be no soft spots, bruising or mildew. Always check the underside of the container to make sure there are no squashed berries or juice (sign of overripe berries). If not using immediately store in a single layer on a paper towel-lined tray in the refrigerator for a couple of days. About an hour before assembling the shortcakes, remove the stems from the berries and lightly wash them (do not soak). Cut or slice the berries into bite size pieces and place about one third of the strawberries in a large bowl and crush them with a potato masher or fork. Add the remaining sliced strawberries, along with the sugar. Set aside to macerate at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes as this will soften the berries and allow them to release some of their juices.

And finally, the Cream. Cream is the fat that rises to the top of whole milk. It has a smooth, satiny texture and is labeled according to its butterfat content (heavy to light). When making Shortcake use 'Heavy' Cream or Heavy 'Whipping' Cream which means it has a 36 - 40% butterfat that will double in volume when whipped and hold its form. Because of its superior flavor, I recommend using an organic brand of heavy whipping cream. My directions for whipping the cream are slightly different from most recipes. You need to first mix together and chill the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar before whipping. This method will let you store the whipped cream in the refrigerator for several hours without it deflating.

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