Strawberry Shortcakes

Ingredients:

For the Shortcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar plus 1 tablespoon for glazing
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 cup heavy cold cream
2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream, for glazing

For the Strawberries
1 dry quart fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
3 tablespoons sugar (or more to your taste)

For the Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cold cream
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons sugar

Directions:

Before You Start
Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

To Make The Shortcakes
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the zest. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal. Little by little, stir in the heavy cream until the dough starts to hold together (you may use a bit more cream if need be).

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat together to form a rectangle 5 inches wide by 7 ½ inches long that is about 1 inch thick. Cut the long side of the dough into thirds and the width in half to form six 2 ½ inch squares. Place the shortcakes 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.

3. Brush the tops of the shortcakes with the milk or heavy cream and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

While the shortcakes are cooling, prepare the strawberries. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced strawberries with the sugar. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes to macerate.

To Make The Whipped Cream
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the heavy cream and vanilla on a medium speed. In a slow steady stream, add the sugar and beat until the mixture form medium-stiff peaks.

The whipped cream is best when used just made, but can be refrigerated in an airtight container overnight and beaten again before serving.

To Complete The Shortcakes
Fork split each shortcake in half horizontally. Place one half on each of six plates. Spoon 2 tablespoons of berries on each. Top each with a large dollop of whipped cream. Spoon more berries on top. Place each of the remaining halves on top of the berries. Garnish with more cream and berries, if desired. Add a sprig of mint for garnish if you’d like.

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