American strawberry shortcake – a sweet biscuit filled and topped with macerated strawberries and freshly whipped cream – what can be simpler and more delicious during the strawberry season?
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Combine 250 g/ 8.8 oz/ 2 cups flour, salt, baking powder, and icing sugar together. Cut the chilled butter into small cubes and add the cubes to the flour mixture. Stir to coat the butter with the flour. Cut the butter into the flour following one of the methods described above. Cut the butter into the flour with a knife or with a dough blender or cutter. Or pulse the butter into the flour in a food processor until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Or you can work the butter into the flour with your fingertips. Or you could freeze the butter, grate it over the flour and work it into the mixture.
Spread the remaining 30 g/ ¼ cup flour onto the working surface. Turn the dough into the flour until it is coated in flour all over. Gently knead the dough, working the flour into it, but not too long, about 10 moves should be enough.
Carefully press the dough into a 2,5 cm/1-inch thick rectangle. Cut the biscuits using a cookie cutter with a diameter of 6 cm/ 2 ½ inch. Gently press the scraps together and cut 1 or 2 extra biscuits. Place them on the baking tray and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.
Macerated strawberries:
Clean and cut the strawberries into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Place them into a bowl, stir with the sugar and let stand for at least 30 minutes.
Whipped cream:
Pour the heavy cream to a bowl and start beating it. Slowly add sugar to taste and continue beating the cream until it reaches the desired consistency.
Assemble:
Split the biscuits in the middle. Cover the bottom side with a generous amount of strawberries, some of their juices, and a good dollop of whipped cream.
Cover with the second half of the biscuit and top with some more strawberries, juices, and whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
If available you can use half and half, that is not available in Germany, so I just mix milk and cream together.