Savvy Strawberry Shortcakes with Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 quarts ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Shortcakes:
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
• ¼ cup sanding sugar
• For Whipped Cream:
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Step 1

Crush about a quarter of the strawberries with a fork, then toss them together with the rest of the berries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a bowl. Let this mixture sit for up to an hour so the flavors meld and the strawberries get nice and juicy.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix the cream, eggs, and almond extract until combined.

Step 3

Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or your fingers until it looks like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the cream mixture. Gently fold everything together with a wooden spoon until it forms a rough dough.

Step 4

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it just a few times until it holds together. Press the dough out to about ½-inch thick, then fold it in half, then quarters, and pat it out again to ½-inch thickness. Do this folding and flattening one more time — it helps create flaky layers.

Step 5

Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 12 rounds without twisting the cutter, and place them a couple of inches apart on your baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle some sanding sugar on top for a little sparkle.

Step 6

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the shortcakes are golden brown on top. Let them cool on a wire rack while you whip up the cream.

Step 7

For the whipped cream, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste in a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.

Step 8

When the shortcakes have cooled, slice them in half and pile on the macerated strawberries and a generous dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!