THE STRAW TO MY BERRY

When cooking, I love to get creative and make adjustments on the fly. Taste. Season. Adjust. Coax the flavor. After some disastrous baking results, I realized that my relaxed, free-spirited culinary mentality is a real no-no in the world of baking. Baking is measured. Literally. The skill is technical. Fortunately, I am married to a man who really knows his dough! For the 4th of July, we love to make this all-time greatest Strawberry Shortcake. And yes, the result lives up to that title. It’s bonkers good. 

The biscuit is crunchy with sugared tops, berries are macerated with fresh lemon juice, and whipped topping is creamed with vanilla bean. It’s impossible to not lick the plate clean of strawberry sticky yumminess.

Watch below as Michael and I prepare Strawberry Shortcake (and when I say “we,” I mean Michael bakes, while I watch and taste like a champ ;) 

Hope you are all staying safe and with the ones you love this holiday.

Happy 4th of July!

Strawberry Shortcake

This recipe originates from Bon Appetite. I like to add more lemon juice and zest to the sauce for extra zip. *Pro tip! To make this dish super 4th of July forward, add some blueberries on top or in the filling. Red, White and Blue on a plate, voilà!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 hard-boiled egg yolks, cooled

• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour

• 3 tablespoons semolina flour or fine-grind cornmeal

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• ⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

• Sanding or granulated sugar (for sprinkling)

SAUCE

• 1½ pounds strawberries (about 1 quart), hulled, halved, quartered if large

• ¼ cup granulated sugar (plus a few pinches more if you prefer sauce sweeter)

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

• Kosher salt

• 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise

DIRECTIONS

• Pulse egg yolks, both flours, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse until only pea-size pieces remain. Drizzle in ⅔ cup cream, then pulse 2–3 times to barely incorporate. Transfer dough to a work surface and gently fold on top of itself several times just to bring it together and work in any dry spots.

• Using a 2-oz. ice cream scoop, make 6 balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Do not flatten. (Or measure out mounded scoops with a ¼-cup measuring cup.) Cover and chill until cold, 20–25 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 350°. Brush tops of shortcakes with remaining 2 Tbsp. cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until golden and sides are firm to the touch, 28–32 minutes. Let cool.

• Do Ahead: Shortcakes can be baked 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. Reheat before serving.

ASSEMBLY

• Toss strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl to combine. Transfer half of strawberries to a large saucepan and add 1 Tbsp. water; let remaining strawberries macerate while you bring strawberries in saucepan to a gentle simmer over medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if needed to keep at a low simmer, until strawberries are starting to break down and become jammy and liquid is syrupy, 12–18 minutes. Let cool, then stir in 1 tsp. lemon juice. Stir remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice into macerated strawberries.

• Combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; reserve pod for another use. Beat cream until soft peaks form.

• Split shortcakes and divide strawberry compote, macerated strawberries, and whipped cream among bottoms. Close with shortcake tops.