A shortcake that puts the berries first
Strawberry shortcake needs little decoration when the fruit tastes good. A tender biscuit gives the berries somewhere to settle, while softly whipped cream catches their juices. This version makes six individual shortcakes and uses a modest amount of sugar, so the flavor of the strawberries remains the focus.
At a market, look for berries that smell fragrant and appear evenly colored, without soft or moldy spots. Size matters less than flavor. If the berries are tart, you can add a little more sugar after tasting them; if they are especially sweet, start with less. Keep them dry and refrigerated until you are ready to prepare the dessert, then rinse gently and pat dry before hulling.
Ingredients for six shortcakes
For the berries, use about 1 pound of fresh strawberries, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. The lemon juice is optional, but a small amount can brighten the fruit without making it taste lemony.
For the biscuits, gather 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 6 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter and 3/4 cup of cold heavy cream. Keep another tablespoon or two of cream nearby in case the dough seems dry, plus a little for brushing the tops. For serving, you will need 1 cup of cold heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
The biscuit should be sturdy enough to hold juicy fruit but soft enough to eat with a spoon. Cold butter and minimal handling help give it that texture. There is no need to work the dough until perfectly smooth; a few shaggy areas are preferable to a tough, overmixed biscuit.
Macerate the strawberries
Hull the strawberries and slice them into a bowl. Toss with the sugar and lemon juice, if using, and let them stand for 20 to 30 minutes. During that time, the sugar draws out some of the fruit’s juice, making a light syrup for soaking into the biscuits. Stir once or twice, then taste. Add a small pinch of sugar only if the berries need it.
You can prepare the berries while the biscuits bake and cool. If you make them farther ahead, cover and refrigerate them rather than leaving them out for an extended period. They will continue to soften as they sit, so keep the slices fairly thick if you want them to retain some shape.
Bake the cream biscuits
Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and work it into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture has coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized bits of butter. Pour in the 3/4 cup of cream and stir just until a shaggy dough forms. If loose flour remains at the bottom of the bowl, add extra cream a teaspoon at a time.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press it together, fold it over once, and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Cut it into six roughly equal squares and set them on the baking sheet with room between them. Brush the tops lightly with cream. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, until risen and golden. Let the biscuits cool on a rack until they are no longer hot; otherwise, the whipped cream will melt on contact.
Whip, assemble and serve
Just before serving, beat the cold cream with the tablespoon of sugar until it holds soft peaks. Stop when it looks billowy and still falls easily from a spoon. Split each biscuit horizontally. Spoon some strawberries and their syrup over the bottom half, add whipped cream, and set the top half in place. Finish with a few more berries if you like.
For the best contrast of tender biscuit, cool cream and juicy fruit, assemble the shortcakes at the table or shortly before eating. The baked biscuits can be made earlier in the day and kept covered once cool; the cream is best whipped close to serving. If you have extra berry syrup, offer it on the side rather than pouring it all over the biscuits at once. That way, everyone can decide how soaked they want their shortcake.
