Strawberry-Shortcake-Ice-Cream-Cake-2.jpg' alt='How To Make Strawberry Shortcake' title='How To Make Strawberry Shortcake' />How To Make the Best Strawberry Shortcake Recipe. I would contend that strawberry shortcake is not only the best summer dessert, but also the best dessert for a summer party. Why Well, beyond the obvious juicy ripe berries, cool whipped cream, and tender biscuits are basically a love note in the form of dessert, complete with hearts dotting every i all the components can be made well ahead of party time, and even packed up to go. Here is a step by step recipe for simply the best strawberry shortcake you and your guests will eat all summer long. Make Ahead Shortcake Biscuits. My favorite biscuits for strawberry shortcake are these cloud like cream biscuits with a little extra sugar added. Unfortunately, these biscuits are best eaten right away and dont keep very well. Fresh strawberries, freshly whipped cream, and moist shortcake from a mix, no joke form this deliciously satisfying summertime dessert. To remedy the situation, Ive added some extra butter, which helps keep the biscuits tender for longer. Also, I just love butter. You can make these biscuits early in the day, let them chill out on the counter all afternoon, and then serve them for dessert later that night. Or you can make them a day ahead and store them in an airtight container. Serve them as is, or warm them briefly in the oven for that fresh baked charm. Make Ahead Strawberries. The strawberries for any strawberry shortcake are actually best if left for an hour or more to macerate with some sugar and become syrupy. They can also be refrigerated overnight and used to make shortcakes the next day. Make Ahead Whipped Cream. For the longest time, I believed that whipped cream had to be whipped and consumed pretty much immediately. Not so Even plain whipped cream holds well in the fridge for an hour or two. I would contend that strawberry shortcake is not only the best summer dessert, but also the best dessert for a summer party. Directions. 1. Make the macerated strawberries In a large bowl, toss all the strawberry ingredients to coat. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature. How To Make Strawberry Shortcake' title='How To Make Strawberry Shortcake' />I give it a little extra insurance and, by pure coincidence, an angelic sweetness by whipping in some powdered sugar. The cornstarch in the powdered sugar helps stabilize the whipped cream. At The Kitchn, weve also found that using an immersion blender to whip cream makes the most stable whipped cream. Thats what I recommend using here, but your whipped cream should still stay silky and light for several hours even if you use a hand blender or stand mixer. When party time rolls around, its shortcake oclock. If youre throwing a fancy dinner party, you can assemble and serve the strawberry shortcakes on individual plates and carry them to the table so fancy. If youre going to a backyard party, where its more of a potluck affair, you can assemble the shortcakes on a baking sheet or serving platter at the party, or you could just set the berries, whipped cream, and biscuits out by themselves and let everyone make their own. Any way you do it, this is a win win scenario. By the way, this recipe looks long and intense only because Im walking you through each individual step, from cutting the butter for the biscuits to placing the tops on your lovely shortcake sandwiches. In reality, making each piece and assembling the shortcakes goes quite quickly. Serves 1. 2 to 1. What You Need. Ingredients. For the shortcake biscuits 1. For the strawberries. For the whipped cream 3 cups heavy cream. Equipment. Baking sheet. Baking mat or parchment paper. Spatula. Bench scraper, or knife. Biscuit cutter, if making round biscuits. Storage containers. Cutting board. Paring knife. High sided bowl or pan, for making the whipped cream. Immersion blender, or hand mixer. Serrated knife. Make the Shortcake Biscuits If your food processor is too small to fit all the biscuit ingredients at once, work in two batches, finishing one whole batch of biscuits and then making the second batch while the first is in the oven. You can also use the food processor to cut the butter into the flour, then transfer to a large mixing bowl to add the cream. Alternatively, mix the biscuits entirely by hand in a bowl using a pastry cutter or fork. Preheat the oven to 4. F. Place a rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper. Cut the butter into small pieces After cutting, place in the freezer for 1. Mix the dry ingredients Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to mix the ingredients. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients Add the chilled butter pieces to the food processor and stir with a spatula to mix the butter into the flour. Pulse 1. 0 to 1. 2 times, until the butter has been cut into pieces no larger than a pea. Add the heavy cream Pour 1 cup of the heavy cream over the flour butter mixture and pulse 1 to 2 times to incorporate. Pour the second cup of cream over the mixture and pulse 4 to 5 times, until the cream has been incorporated and the biscuit dough looks shaggy and lumpy. Shape the biscuit dough Turn the biscuit dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and pat it into a rectangle with floured hands. Cut the dough into three sections with a bench scraper or knife, and pile the sections on top of each other. Then press and pat it down again to a rectangle roughly 34 inch thick. Cut out the biscuits Use a circular biscuit cutter to cut out 1. Alternatively, use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough into 1. In either case, cut straight down, then lift the biscuit cutter or knife straight up dont twist or saw the dough. Dip the biscuit cutter or knife in flour to prevent sticking if necessary. Brush the biscuits with cream or butter. This gives them a golden crust. Bake the biscuits for 1. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 1. 2 to 1. For a more deeply golden top crust, run them under the broiler for a few minutes keep a close eye on them, though They can darken and burn very quickly. Serve or store the biscuits Biscuits can be served warm or room temperature. Alternatively, cool the biscuits completely, then store them in an airtight container for up to 2. Biscuits can also be pre cut into the tops and bottoms, and each stored separately this makes the final assembly go a bit quicker. Make the strawberries. Cut the strawberries Wash the strawberries and pat dry. Remove the stems, then slice or chop them into small pieces. Combine with sugar and lemon juice Pour the sugar and lemon juice over the strawberries. Stir to combine. Macerate for at least 1 hour Macerate the strawberries for at least an hour, until very syrupy. You can also refrigerate the strawberries for up to 2. Make the whipped cream If you dont have an immersion blender, whisk the whipped cream with a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Spiralized Sweet Potato. Pour the cream into a high sided bowl or pan. Blend with an immersion blender until slightly thickened Move the blender up and down as you blend, and be sure to get the corners. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla When the whipped cream has thickened, but isnt yet stiff, add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Blend until the cream holds stiff peaks Stop if you see any hint of graininess. The whipped cream should look thick and glossy, and it will hold its shape when you lift the blender. Use or store the whipped cream Use the whipped cream right away or keep it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 hours. If keeping the whipped cream longer than 4 hours, you may want to briefly re whisk before serving. Assemble the Strawberry Shortcakes. Assemble the shortcakes on individual serving plates, on a large serving platter or baking sheet so guests can help themselves, or set up a make your own station for guests to assemble their own desserts. Cut the shortcake biscuits in half. Use a serrated knife and cut gently the biscuits are very tender and easy to break. Set aside the top crusts. Spoon strawberries and syrup over the bottom crust Be generous and dont skimp on the syrup Add a big dollop of whipped cream Again, generosity wins you friends. Finish with the top crust Settle the top crust over the whipped cream and press gently to sandwich the layers together. Serve immediately or within an hour The shortcakes will keep well for about an hour. Strawberry Shortcake Recipe Tasting Table. Summer is the perfect time to indulge in all of your childhood favorites, whether thats Choco Tacos, Creamsicles or Blizzards. But one dessert really takes the, ahem, cake. Were talking, of course, about strawberry shortcake, and were bringing you an updated version of the classic that will please your inner child as much as the party animal in you. This boozy dessert is brought to you by chef Ted Hopson and beverage director Ann Marie Verdi, co owners of L. A. s The Bellwether, who just put the dish on their menu last week. Its composed of strawberries macerated in cognac, mascarpone and toasted almonds, all sandwiched between two fluffy biscuits, and we cant stop thinking about it. RELATED   9 Desserts Every Home Baker Should Know How to Make The Bellwether, which opened in 2. Think strawberry jalapeo tequila, an annual summertime favorite, or lavender infused gin, which Verdi mixes with lavender honey syrup in her version of a Bees Knees. Verdi developed the almond infused cognac specifically for the shortcake, because it works so well with the toasted almonds. Although making an infusion is easy, Verdi promises, you can also use just cognac and a little almond extract to macerate the berries. Either way, youll get an almond flavor that really rounds out the dessert. Hopson uses skin on almond slices, because the dish is meant to be a quick, rustic dessertperfect for a casual summer dinner party or spontaneous get together. Even better The drop biscuits are so simple theyre practically foolproof. Just remember the two commandments of biscuit makingkeep all of the ingredients and mixing bowls cold, and dont overwork the doughand youre golden. As Hopson describes his summertime masterpiece, Its not anything fancy. Its what you ate growing up, and its what you still want. Thats why were declaring this one the dessert of summer 2. Macerate the strawberries by mixing them with cognac, sugar, almond extract and salt. Toss the strawberries to coat, then let sit for 3 hours to let the sugar pull out the juices. Make sure to stir up the strawberries every hour. Prepare the biscuits by combining all the cold ingredients together in a bowl. Stir until a dough forms. You dont want to overwork it, so its OK if the dough is shaggy. Form the biscuits into cup pucks and place on a parchment lined sheet pan. The biscuits are going to spread, so you want to make sure there is at least 2 inches of space between each one. Bake at 4. 25 for 6 minutes, then decrease the temperature to 3. Meanwhile, stir the mascarpone with the cream and sugar to make a smooth custardy filling. To assemble, slice a biscuit in half and place on a plate. Top with a spoonful of the strawberries, making sure to pour over some of the juices. Dollop some of the mascarpone over the strawberries. Add another spoonful of strawberries and a pinch of toasted almonds. Place the top of the biscuit over the almonds. Garnish with more toasted almonds and a dusting of confectioners sugar, then serve. Recipe adapted from Ted Hopson, The Bellwether, Los Angeles, CAPrep Time 3. Cook Time 1. 5 minutes. Total Time 4. 5 minutes, plus macerating and cooling time. Ingredients. For the Macerated Strawberries 1 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved cup granulated sugar cup cognac teaspoon almond extract. Pinch kosher salt. For the Biscuits 3 cups all purpose flour. For the Mascarpone Cream 1 cups mascarpone cheese, softened. Pinch kosher salt. For Garnish cup toasted sliced almonds. Confectioners sugar, for garnish. Directions. 1. Make the macerated strawberries In a large bowl, toss all the strawberry ingredients to coat. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 3 hours, tossing the strawberries every hour. Meanwhile, make the biscuits Preheat the oven to 4. In a large bowl, add all the biscuit ingredients and mix until a dough forms, being careful not to overwork. Divide the dough into twelve cup pucks and drop onto the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate the pan and decrease the temperature to 3. Continue to cook until golden brown, another 8 to 1. Remove from the oven and let cool. Make the mascarpone cream In a medium bowl, whisk all the mascarpone cream ingredients until smooth. To assemble Slice each biscuit in half and arrange on a plate. Top each bottom biscuit with some of the macerated strawberries and their juices, then dollop some of the mascarpone cream over the strawberries. Divide the remaining strawberries over the mascarpone and sprinkle each with some toasted almonds. Place the other halves of each biscuit on top, garnish with more almonds and confectioners sugar, then serve.