Strawberry Shortcakes

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, or as needed - divided
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting, or to taste - divided
• 6 sprigs fresh mint for garnish

Recipe

Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 35 mins


• preheat oven to 425 degrees f (220 degrees c).
• toss strawberries with 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl; set aside at room temperature for 1 hour for juice to form.
• whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt in a bowl. cut unsalted butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. pour 1 cup cream into flour mixture, starting with 1/2 cup and adding a tablespoon or two at a time as needed. stir to make a soft dough. add more cream as needed. place dough into a floured bowl and knead a few times with the heel of your hand.
• roll dough out 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface; cut dough into 6 3-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter. place onto ungreased baking sheet.
• bake until tops are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. cool on wire racks.
• whip remaining 1 cup cream in a metal or glass bowl, using an electric mixer, until cream forms soft peaks when beaters are lifted directly up out of cream; gently fold in 2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract. cover and refrigerate cream until ready to serve.
• to serve, split each shortcake round horizontally, using a serrated knife, and place bottoms of shortcakes onto serving plates. spoon about 1/2 cup of strawberries and juice onto shortcake half; top with 1/4 cup of whipped cream. place shortcake tops onto desserts; dust each dessert with about 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar and a sprig of mint.