Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients

• 2 pounds strawberries – hulled and sliced
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar – for macerating berries
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar – for shortcake dough
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp fine salt
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter – cold, cut into small cubes
• 0.75 cup heavy cream – cold (for dough)
• 2 tbsp heavy cream – for brushing tops
• 1 tbsp coarse sugar – for topping
• 1.5 cups heavy cream – cold (for whipped cream)
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Macerate the berries: In a bowl, combine the sliced strawberries, 0.5 cup granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Toss and let stand until the berries release plenty of syrup, 20–30 minutes, stirring once or twice.
2. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
3. Make the shortcake dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 3 tbsp granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter or fingertips until pea-sized pieces remain and the mixture looks sandy.
4. Pour in 0.75 cup cold heavy cream and stir with a fork just until the dough comes together with no dry pockets. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, pat into a 1-inch-thick slab, and fold the dough over itself 2–3 times to build layers. Pat back to 1 inch thick and cut 8 rounds with a 2.5-inch cutter, gently pressing scraps together as needed.
5. Arrange the rounds on the prepared sheet. Brush tops with 2 tbsp heavy cream and sprinkle evenly with the coarse sugar. Bake until the shortcakes are deep golden-brown and set, 14–16 minutes; they should feel firm and the bottoms well-colored. Cool on the sheet 10 minutes.
6. Whip the cream: In a chilled bowl, beat 1.5 cups cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks, 2–3 minutes; the cream should hold gentle ridges that just curl at the tip.
7. Assemble and serve: Split each warm shortcake with a serrated knife. Spoon macerated strawberries and their syrup over the bottoms, add a generous dollop of whipped cream, cap with the tops, and finish with more berries and cream. Serve immediately so the biscuits stay tender yet crisp at the edges.