First post of our “Biscuit” Series, and it’s my favourite way to use biscuits. Whipped cream, strawberry sauce and a big, buttery, flakey biscuit, with a hint of lemon. Strawberry Shortcake!
For this biscuit, you’re going to need good butter. Don’t be cheap; splurge on butter with some extra fat content. It’s 2021; Ontario is deep into our third COVID-19 wave; with no end in sight, vaccines are the hottest commodity that no one can seem to get. We need to Treat Our Selves! Girl. Get. That. Butter!
Also, don’t use milk. Use buttermilk. We need that fat. You want fluffy? Flakey? You need the fat.
I was going to write a whole post about the history of biscuits, but it’s been a terrible week for me at work, with probably even more stress to come. #coporatelife
If you want to learn more about biscuits, click here.
The recipe makes 6 big biscuits.
Ingredients
Berry Topping
2 packages of strawberries (908 grams), slices or quarters
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Whipped Cream
1 cup of whipping cream
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Biscuits
3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
8 tablespoons cold butter
1 large egg
Zest of 1 lemon
Milk Wash
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Slice your strawberries, mix all of the berries with sugar and lemon juice and add to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until soft. Mash half the strawberries, leaving some whole. Set aside to cool.
Sift together all your dry ingredients until combined. Then add your cold butter, using your fingers or a pastry cutter to incorporate it into your dry ingredient mixture. The texture should be crumbly, flecked with butter, consistent with a roughly formed dough.
Whisk the egg into the milk, then add it to your dry ingredients and stir until all the liquid is absorbed. Turn your dough mixture onto a lightly floured surface, and knead the dough until it holds together—around 3 to 4 times. I use my bench scraper.
Flour your rolling pin, and roll the dough into ¾ inch thickness and cut into 6 biscuits. Place the biscuits onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar and place into the fridge for an hour.
After an hour, preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake your biscuits for 10 to 12 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and cool for 20 minutes before assembling your shortcakes. Whip your whipping cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks.
Split open your biscuits, add as much filling and whipped cream as you like and TREAT YOUR SELF!
Enjoy!