By Eniolá Abdulroqeeb Arówólò
Strawberry shortcake is a classic dessert made with simple and delicious ingredients. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make a classic strawberry shortcake:
Ingredients:
– All-purpose flour
– Sugar
– Baking powder
– Salt
– Unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
– Milk
– Vanilla extract
– Fresh strawberries (sliced)
– Sugar (for macerating the strawberries)
– Heavy cream
– Powdered sugar
– Vanilla extract
Step 1: Preparing the strawberries
– Wash and slice the fresh strawberries.
– In a bowl, mix the sliced strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Step 2: Making the shortcakes
– Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
– In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, and salt.
– Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
– In a separate small bowl, mix the milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract together.
– Gradually add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
– Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently pat it into a 3/4-inch thick circle.
– Use a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass to cut out individual shortcakes. Gather the scraps and repeat until you’ve used all the dough.
– Place the shortcakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between each one.
– Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Step 3: Whipping the cream
– In a mixing bowl, pour the heavy cream and add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
– Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the cream until stiff peaks form.
Step 4: Assembling the strawberry shortcakes
– Allow the shortcakes to cool slightly after removing them from the oven.
– Slice each shortcake in half horizontally.
– Spoon a generous amount of macerated strawberries onto the bottom half of each shortcake.
– Add a dollop of whipped cream on top of the strawberries.
– Place the top half of the shortcake on the whipped cream.
– Optionally, you can add more sliced strawberries and whipped cream on top for garnish.
Step 5: Serving
– Serve the strawberry shortcakes immediately while they are still fresh and delicious.
