Bev Bennett is an Evanston food writer, recipe developer and author or co-author of nine cookbooks.
Notice that strawberries in your favorite supermarket pretty much look and taste the same?
Not so at the Evanston Farmers Market: tart, sweet and mellow berry flavors are yours to choose.
Although I selected Earliglow berries for the following strawberry shortcake, I suggest you start tasting and pick your favorite for this recipe. You may want to adjust the sugar according to the sweetness of the berries.
Strawberry Shortcake
- 1 cup flour
- 3 to 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 11/2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into slivers
- 1 2/3 to 1 ¾ cups heavy cream
- 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
Stir together flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a large fork or your fingertips until butter is in small crumbles. Gradually stir in 2/3 cup cream to form dough. If necessary, stir in 2 more tablespoons cream. Keep remaining cream cold.
Gather dough into a ball. Pat to ½-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into 3-inch circles, gently reworking dough to form 6 biscuits. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven for 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.
While biscuits are baking, stir together strawberries and 1 to 11/2 tablespoons sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Combine remaining 1 cup cream and 1 tablespoon sugar in bowl of electric mixer. Beat until stiff.
To assemble, split, don?t slice, biscuits in half widthwise. Top bottom half with a spoonful of strawberries and whipped cream. Close with top of biscuits adding more berries and cream.
Makes 6 servings.
Bev Bennett is an Evanston food writer, recipe developer and author or co-author of nine cookbooks.
