Classic American Strawberry Shortcake

In a medium bowl, combine sliced strawberries, 50g sugar, and lemon juice. Toss to coat and let sit at room temperature to release their juices.

Preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, 30g sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

Pour in the cold milk. Stir gently with a fork or spatula just until a shaggy dough forms and the dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat (do not roll) into a rectangle about 2cm thick. Use a biscuit cutter to punch out rounds. Place on the prepared baking sheet, touching slightly. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar if desired.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits have risen significantly.

While biscuits bake, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a clean bowl. Whip until soft-to-medium peaks form.

Remove biscuits from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. They should be warm but not hot when serving.

Slice the warm biscuits in half horizontally. Spoon the macerated strawberries and their syrup over the bottom halves. Top generously with whipped cream and the biscuit caps. Serve immediately.