O U R FAV O R I T E
Strawberry Shortcake RECIPE
Sized to be a true crowd pleaser, a tender biscuit cushions a cloud of lightly sweetened cream and a sweetened tumble of juicedup berries. Peaches, plums, or nectarines can be swapped in for the strawberries if you prefer.
Directions 1. Biscuit: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir until just combined. 2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface;
Ingredients T HE BAS E
4 cups cake flour 2/3 cup granulated sugar 5 teaspoons baking powder
Knead once or twice to help it come together. Pat into a 10-by-7-inch rectangle, about 3/4 inch thick. Cut length‑wise into thirds, then crosswise into fourths to create 12 equal pieces. Using a spatula, transfer to a 9 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet or other pan, arranging pieces to roughly re-create original rectangle but leaving 1/2 inch between them.
2 teaspoons kosher sale
3. Brush tops with cream; sprinkle generously with
1-1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
golden brown and cooked through, 25 to 28 minutes
1-1/4 cups buttermilk Heavy cream for brushing
sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheet once, until (gaps should be gone, so you have a single but easily separable biscuit). Let cool on sheet 10 minutes, then carefully lift with 2 large spatulas onto a wire rack. Let cool almost but not quite completely, about 1 hour.
T HE TOP P I N G
4 cups sliced strawberries (from 2 quart containers) 5 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or Grand Marnier 1-1/4 cups heavy cream
32
4. Berries and cream: Meanwhile, combine strawberries, granulated sugar, salt, and lemon juice; let stand, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 30 minutes. Beat cream with vanilla and confectioners’ sugar on medium/high speed to stiff peaks. Grand Marnier may be used instead of lemon juice. 5. Carefully slide biscuit onto a serving platter. Spoon 2 cups whipped cream over biscuit; top with 3 cups
Scraped seeds from 1 vanilla bean, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste
berry mixture, drizzling with some juices. Sprinkle
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
whipped cream and berries on the side.
with berry powder; serve immediately, with remaining
33