Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Macerated Strawberries
- 500 g strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Shortcake Biscuits
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 12 g baking powder
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 115 g unsalted butter, cubed and very cold
- 160 ml heavy cream, cold
- 15 ml heavy cream, for brushing
- 10 g turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 240 ml heavy cream, very cold
- 30 g powdered sugar
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 646 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 64 g
- Fat
- 41 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 30 g
- Sodium
- 429 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 26 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 119 mg
- Potassium
- 248 mg
- Calcium
- 188 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 26 mg
- Phosphorus
- 154 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 416 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 50 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 35 mcg
- Water
- 127 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Toss to coat evenly, then let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to release their natural juices.
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and fine sea salt until evenly distributed.
Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Pour in the cold heavy cream and stir gently with a fork or spatula just until a shaggy dough begins to form. Do not overmix.
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Gently pat the dough together until it reaches a uniform thickness of about 2 centimeters. Stamp out rounds using a biscuit cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops lightly with heavy cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Move to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the biscuits cool, use an electric mixer or whisk to beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft, billowy peaks form.
Split the cooled biscuits in half horizontally. Spoon a generous amount of macerated strawberries and their liquid over the bottom half. Add a large dollop of whipped cream, then place the top half of the biscuit on the cream.
Chef's Notes
- Temperature is the key to perfect biscuits. The cold butter melts rapidly in the hot oven, creating steam pockets that result in maximum flakiness.
- For exceptionally crisp edges, space the biscuits far apart on the baking sheet. For softer sides, place them so they are just barely touching.
- A pinch of black pepper or a tiny splash of balsamic vinegar in the macerating strawberries adds a complex, savory undertone that balances the sweetness.
- Macerating the strawberries at room temperature draws out the maximum amount of juice. However, if making the filling hours ahead, do this in the refrigerator to keep the fruit fresh.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store biscuits and strawberry mixture separately to prevent sogginess. Whipped cream is best made fresh.
Freezer: 1 month — Unbaked biscuit dough can be frozen for up to one month. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
Reheating: Warm baked biscuits in a 150C oven for 5 minutes before assembling.
Troubleshooting
Biscuits are dense and tough instead of flaky
Cause: The dough was overworked or the butter became too warm during mixing
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Handle the dough as little as possible and ensure butter is ice cold before starting
Biscuits rose lopsidedly in the oven
Cause: Twisting the biscuit cutter while stamping out the dough seals the edges and prevents an even rise
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always press the cutter straight down and lift straight up
Cultural Context
Strawberry shortcake is a quintessential American summertime dessert, dating back to at least the mid-19th century. Early recipes utilized a pie-crust-like pastry or sweetened yeast bread, but the modern variation featuring a lightly leavened baking powder biscuit became the standard by the early 1900s. It remains an iconic staple of Fourth of July celebrations and summer picnics.
