Try this Strawberry Shortcakes recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 38.3109294870209 g
- Cholesterol 46.8704167012886 mg
- Fat 14.9227891070902 g
- Fiber 1.12794446574613 g
- Protein 6.02540063077371 g
- Saturated Fat 9.13952104062494 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (120g)
- Sodium 584.759222907019 mg
- Sugar 37.1829850212747 g
- Trans Fat 1.04183786870916 g
- Calories 317 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 450.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugars.
- Cut butter into small pieces and incorporate into flour using your hands or a pastry cutter. Flour and butter mix should resemble small pebbles.
- Stir in cream and vanilla until dough is wet. Continue stirring to get most of the flour incorporated.
- Turn dough onto floured surface.
- Dip hands in flour and sprinkle just enough on dough to be able to knead it for about 30 seconds.
- Pat dough into rectangle that is about ¾ to an inch thick.
- Using sharp knife, cut into 2x2 squares.
- Place on parchment lined cookie sheet leaving a little space in between.
- Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle raw Turbinado sugar on each one.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool for one minute on cookie sheet, then remove to wire rack and cool completely.
- To serve, slice biscuit in half. Place bottom in bowl and layer with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream, then strawberries, then top half of biscuit, then whipped cream.
Rolling cold butter into flour quickly before it softens from hand heat is the singular technique that determines whether these biscuits bake up flaky or dense. Keeping every component cold ensures pockets of steam form inside the oven, creating distinct layers.
Equipment Workarounds and Ingredient Efficiency
Specialty baking tools remain entirely optional for this preparation. Standard box graters serve as an efficient substitute for a pastry cutter when shredding frozen or cold butter directly into the dry goods. Measuring cups and spoons suffice for portioning, while an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper prevents sticking without requiring non-stick sprays. A sharp chef knife outperforms specialized pastry wheels by making clean vertical drops that keep biscuit edges from sealing shut during the cut, which inhibits proper rising at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Heavy cream provides both the fat and liquid needed to hydrate the flour mixture, eliminating the need for separate milk and butter purchases.
- Warm butter causes dense biscuits; freeze the butter for fifteen minutes prior to cutting if room temperature exceeds 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Dough handled for longer than thirty seconds develops excess gluten, resulting in a tough texture.
- Bake until tops turn uniformly golden brown, typically requiring ten minutes depending on oven hotspots.
