Is there anything more heavenly than the scent of freshly baked biscuits straight from the oven? Perhaps fresh unsalted creamery butter melting on those biscuits…no wait even better…home made macerated sweetened strawberries slathered on top could be an over the moon taste sensation?
Remember my experience at The Clinton Street Baking Company in my Trip to Heaven post? I referenced their crusty on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside biscuits. Recently, I gave an afternoon class at the Forest Hill Loblaw’s. I decided to treat the audience with those biscuits as the showstopper. I used them as the base for luscious strawberry shortcake.
They were sensational. Not a crumb left on the plates. People raved as they left the class. Here’s the recipe for the biscuits and the strawberry shortcakes, one of my last 2012 strawberry summer kissed treats just for you.
The Spice Lady’s Strawberry Shortcakes
Clinton Street Baking Company Biscuits: Makes 1 dozen huge biscuits or about 18 to 20 medium
8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for baking sheet 2 teaspoons coarse salt 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup vegetable shortening 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) 3 cups buttermilk
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together shortening and butter.
Add flour mixture to shortening mixture and mix together until crumbly.
Add buttermilk and stir until just incorporated.
Sprinkle a rimmed baking sheet lightly with flour. Turn biscuit dough out onto a 13-by-9 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet and gently press dough to cover.
Using a rolling pin, roll surface of dough until evenly distributed in the pan, or just press it in.
Cover dough with plastic wrap and transfer to a refrigerator to chill for at least 20 minutes, or until ready to bake, up to 1 day. (I skipped this step and they were just as good)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut biscuit dough using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter and transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet, rerolling scraps one time, if necessary. DO NOT TWIST THE CUTTER. This will close off the dough and they won’t be as fluffy.
Bake until golden, about 18 minutes. Serve immediately.
For Strawberries and Cream:
1 3/4 pounds (6 cups) strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and quartered ¾ cup sugar 1 ½ cups heavy cream plus 2 tablespoons sugar (icing sugar is best) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, toss strawberries with 3/4 cup sugar; let sit to bring out their juices.
Beat 1 1/2 cups cream and 2 tablespoons sugar with the vanilla until soft peaks form.
Assembly:
Slice biscuits in half horizontally.
Spoon strawberries and their liquid over bottom halves.
Spoon whipped cream on strawberries, and replace top halves of biscuits.