Strawberry Shortcake

(111)
Servings:
6

This classic strawberry dessert highlights the freshness of its ingredients and the purity of its flavors. It's summertime eating at its best—and it's easy for kids to make, too.

Ingredients

For the berries

  • 2 pints strawberries

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • ¼ cup sugar

For the biscuits

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 6 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

  • 1 large egg

For the whipped cream

  • ½ cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. Prepare the berries: Toss the strawberries with lemon juice and sugar to combine. Let macerate at room temperature 1 hour.

  2. Meanwhile, make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk to combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 cup cream and stir with a fork just until dough starts to come together but is still crumbly.

  3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rough 6-inch square, about 1 inch thick. With a 2 1/2-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut four biscuits from dough and place them, evenly spaced, on a parchment- lined baking sheet. Gather dough scraps together, fold once, and gently pat into a rectangle; cut out two more biscuits. Whisk egg and remaining 1 tablespoon cream, then brush egg wash over tops of dough rounds. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

  4. Bake until tops are golden brown, rotating sheet halfway through, about 25 minutes. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack and let cool slightly.

  5. When ready to serve, whip cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Split biscuits in half, and place a bottom half on each plate. Top generously with berries and their juice, then with remaining biscuit halves and dollops of whipped cream. Scatter a few more strawberries on top and around each plate.

    strawberry shortcake
    Stefan Anderson
Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Kids, Summer 2002

Related Articles