Strawberry Shortcake 8.03 Summer

“It feels like an earthquake!” “Strawberry shortcake? What?” “You said something about strawberry shortcake!” “Taylor, shut it off!” “Now I'm hungry for strawberry shortcake!”

Ingredients:

For the shortcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• ½ stick of cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• ¾ cup heavy cream

• 2 eggs

• ½ tsp of vanilla

• 1 tsp lemon zest

For the strawberry sauce:

• 2 cups sliced strawberries

• ½ cup sugar

For the whipped cream: 

• 2 cups heavy cream

• ½ cup powdered sugar

• 1 tsp almond extract

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the cold butter to the flour and mix with your hands until it resembles the texture of breadcrumbs. Mix in the baking powder and sugar.

3. Slowly add in the heavy cream and mix until combined. Mix in one egg, vanilla, and lemon zest.

4. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until a smooth ball is formed. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Split dough into 6 equal parts. Form each part into a round biscuit shape and place on a greased baking sheet or parchment paper.

5. Beat the other egg into a bowl and brush a thin glaze over the shortcakes. This will create a nice, golden color.

6. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

7. While the shortcakes cook, combine the strawberries and sugar in a large mixing bowl. 

8. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 

9. Allow the shortcakes to cool completely. And prepare the whipped cream by combining the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla then whisking until soft peaks form. 

10. To serve, slice the shortcake in half, add whipped cream and the macerated strawberries. Then place the other half off the shortcake on top and add more whipped cream and strawberries. Optional, add fresh mint!

Miss Patty’s finally has an air conditioner, but it’s really loud. So when Rory says, “it feels like an earthquake,” Lorelai thinks she is talking about strawberry shortcake. This was a fun callback to one of my very first Eating Gilmore dishes when I made Sookie’s blueberry shortcake for 1.03 Kill Me Now. All these years, dishes, and episodes later, I’m finally making the “real” thing, the classic strawberry shortcake! 

I like making shortcake that is essentially a biscuit because I think the flavor goes so well with the macerated strawberries and whipped cream. And it’s very sturdy and holds up well. Speaking of whipped cream, I decided to go slightly different this time and I used almond extract instead of the typical vanilla. It paired well with the other flavors of the dessert.

Happy cooking from the Hollow!

Catch up on my last A Year in the Life Dish here!