strawberry shortcake

You know it's spring when you make chicken burgers and strawberry shortcake for Sunday dinner instead of pot roast with root vegetables. Strawberries and peaches are my two favorite fruits so I was happy to make this strawberry shortcake (inspired by Epicurious) for dessert the other night. It was pretty simple but I felt so fancy making it!

Strawberries and Cream
4 pints strawberries, cleaned and halved
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon sugar (optional - if you're strawberries were as sweet as mine!)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

Place strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice and sugar, if using. Gently toss with a rubber spatula and let sit while you make the shortcakes to let the juice develop. Just before serving, whip cream with 1 Tablespoon sugar until it holds soft peaks.

Shortcakes
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cold and cut into small chunks
3/4 cup milk
2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet.

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and using a pastry blender or your fingers (as I did) rub into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in the milk utnil a very soft dough is formed. Do NOT overmix.

Divide the dough into six equal portions and lightly pat into a ball, gently pressing down into a round (about 3 inches diameter) and lightly brush the tops with the cream. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake the shortcakes in the preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool before serving. To serve: slice off the top of each shortcake and spoon a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream on the bottom portion. Cover with strawberries and replace the top. Repeat as desired.