The Estate Bakery
Southern-Style Strawberry Shortcake
The Strategy:
Folding fresh strawberries directly into the buttermilk shortcake dough yields sweet, fruit-flecked biscuits with a wonderfully tender, flaky crumb. Layering the warm, golden squares with a velvety, vanilla-whipped cream and balsamic-macerated strawberries brings a sophisticated depth to a classic Southern dessert. It is a beautiful, comforting treat that celebrates the sweetness of the season with a high-end flair.
Ingredients
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped, about 2 cups
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Juice of ½ medium lemon, about 1 tablespoon
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¼ cups pastry flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup natural cane sugar
- 1⁄3 cup shortening, chilled
Instructions
- Place one half cup of chopped berries aside on your work surface. You will fold these into the shortcake dough later on.
- Combine the remaining chopped berries with balsamic vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Place the bowl onto the countertop to allow the flavors to blend.
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a small bowl.
- Pour the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cane sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Open the top and pinch off pieces of the shortening over the flour.
- Pulse until the flour begins to climb up the sides of the bowl, forming coarse crumbs. With the machine running, slowly pour the buttermilk into the flour. The dough will clump together quickly. Stop the machine and dump the wet dough onto a well-floured board.
- Sprinkle a little additional flour over the dough.
- Place the half cup chopped strawberries on top of the dough.
- Sprinkle the berries with a little more flour. Use your hands to gently fold the berries into the dough trying to evenly distribute them. You can add more flour if the dough is too sticky to work with, but it is meant to be a sticky dough.
- Pat the dough into a rectangle about 4-inches wide, 8-inches long and about ½-inch thick.
- Cut the dough into 8 (2-inch) squares. Lift the shortcakes onto the baking sheet and place into the oven.
- Bake until the tops are golden, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Transfer to a rack to cool.
- Chill the bowl and whipping attachment of an electric mixer.
- Pour the whipping cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla into the bowl.
- Whip the cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Assemble the desserts in small 3 to 4-ounce mini-mason jars, shot or juice glasses. Start with a layer of whipped cream. Top with a layer of crumbled shortcake followed by a spoonful of balsamic-laced berries. Continue layering ending with a dollop of cream topped with a bit of strawberry. You can refrigerate the desserts for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Alternatively, you can cut each biscuit in half. Scoop some ice cream onto the bottom layer. Top the ice cream with berries. Place the top half of the biscuit on the berries and spoon whipped cream all over. That’s the way we do it in the South!
After Market Leftovers
You will have more shortcake than you need for 12 individual desserts. You can freeze the extras in an airtight container. Or serve them for breakfast in the morning. Preheat the oven to 300°. Brush the tops of the shortcakes with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the biscuits right out of the oven with a dollop of butter and a drizzle of honey. Yumm!
The full recipe lives in the Vault
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The Heart of the Table
This strawberry shortcake is a delicious celebration of Southern hospitality, bringing a sense of warmth and abundance to the table. The sweet scent of baked biscuits and fresh, balsamic-infused strawberries fills the room, making everyone feel instantly pampered. It prompts relaxed, happy evening laughter as guests savor the contrast of warm biscuits and cool cream.
- a fine-blade microplane zester with an ergonomic soft-grip handle
- a teardrop weighted stainless steel bar spoon with a twisted stem
- a solid copper balloon whisk to perfectly aerate ingredients
- a wide, copper-plated wire cooling rack to ensure perfect airflow
- a heavy-duty die-cast aluminum lemon squeezer with an enamel finish
- a hand-cut glass mixing pitcher with a diamond-cut pattern
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Serve the assembled shortcakes on a wooden board lined with parchment paper, allowing the red strawberry juices to pool slightly, and finish with a dusting of powdered sugar.
- THE POUR: A glass of sweet, sparkling Moscato or a cup of hot, hand-brewed coffee to balance the rich whipped cream.
- THE VIBE: Covered Veranda: A warm summer breeze and the soft glow of string lights create a relaxed, festive atmosphere for enjoying a sweet treat.
