With summer having just begun, I’m sure that we can all agree to having a bit more time on our hands for wanting to work on the things that make us happy. Lately, I have found that cooking has been one of those things for me. My favorite recipes include using fresh produce and fruits. The other day, I was discussing what my favorite fruit was, and I came to the decision that there isn’t just one fruit that I love the most, but rather what ever is the ripest. I have had blackberries that fill my mouth with sour juices, but also had them when they taste like nature’s candy.

The sweet spot for strawberries is April through July, meaning that now is the perfect season to get some locally. I was with my dad driving to a butcher and across the street was a farm stand with a big sign advertising ‘fresh strawberries’. As soon as I saw the sign, I knew that I wanted to get some. Once we brought them home, I saw that they where at peak ripeness and needed to be eaten that day. That’s when I knew it. I had to make my favorite summer dessert: strawberry shortcake! (Although, you could make this dessert with really any berry or stone fruit like peaches, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)

The first step is always washing and cutting up the berries into quarters and sprinkling with sugar. This helps them release their juices. After waiting for about an hour, they will be sitting in a delicious strawberry sauce and will taste way sweeter. This juice is just what you want to have soak into your shortcake biscuit. Speaking of shortcake, next was making the scrumptious biscuits. To do so, I used the recipe below.

Lastly is the final touch (or smother) of whipped cream. I LOVE making homemade whipped cream, in which I use a siphon and add whipping cream, a little vanilla, and some maple syrup (not too much that it the consistency becomes too watery). This will tie together the whole dessert.

I recommend enjoying this dish on your deck (if you have one) while watching the sunset. There you have it, your very own bite of summer.

Warning: You may become obsessed with strawberry shortcake. (I now have a pint of strawberry shortcake ice cream in my freezer and I had a strawberry shortcake crepe yesterday.)

Shortcake Biscuits

2 and 3/4 cups (345g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for hands and work surface

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

4 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt (I recommend fine sea salt)

3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

1 cup (240ml) cold buttermilk*

2 Tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream or buttermilk

Coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Start with the strawberries: Stir the strawberries and 1/4 cup granulated sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and set in the refrigerator until ready to use.
2. Make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large food processor. Pulse until combined. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients by pulsing several times in the processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. Pour the mixture into a large bowl.
3. Pour buttermilk on top. Fold everything together with a large spoon or silicone spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots. Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface in this step. Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle as best you can. Fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4 inch thick rectangle.
4. Cut into 2.75 or 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. You should end up with around 10-12 biscuits.
5. Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or close together on parchment paper or silicone baking mat lined baking sheet. Make sure the biscuits are touching.
6. Brush the tops with 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven, then cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before assembling.
7. Slice the biscuits in half and layer with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Thank you for reading this publication, I hope that you enjoyed it.

-Your favorite kid foodie: Izzy