Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Prep

½ to 1 cup sugar tossed with 3 - 5 pints of sliced fresh strawberries (set aside for at least 1hr)

Single Recipe – Short Bread
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
½ cup butter at room temperature
1 egg
2/3 cup milk (for richer taste use half and half)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees - Grease and flour cookie sheet(s)
2. In a medium (large bowl if doubling recipe) combine all dry ingredients:  flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg(s), vanilla, and milk (or half and half) until just combined.
3. “Flour” hands with powdered sugar and separate dough into 8 equal mounds/parts. Roll each mound in the powdered sugar and fashion into a biscuit. Place on greased/floured cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Let cool partially on pan on wire rack.
4. Slice biscuits in half and layer with strawberry mixture and whipped cream (or cool whip) alternately and however you like.

Whipped Cream
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup powdered sugar for full bodied whipped cream
Whip the heavy cream and then add vanilla – add sugar last until the desired consistency

Doubled Recipe – Short Bread
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
1 cup butter at room temperature
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup milk (for richer taste use half and half)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees - Grease and flour cookie sheet(s)
2. In a medium (large bowl if doubling recipe) combine all dry ingredients:  flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg(s), vanilla, and milk (or half and half) until just combined.
3. “Flour” hands with powdered sugar and separate dough into 16 equal mounds/parts. Roll each mound in the powdered sugar and fashion into a biscuit. Place on greased/floured cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Let cool partially on pan on wire rack.
4. Slice biscuits in half and layer with strawberry mixture and whipped cream (or cool whip) alternately and however you like.

Tips:

Put all your dry ingredients in a bowl and use a whisk to blend the ingredients. Have your butter at room temperature. Use a wire pastry blender to mix - the texture will be fine vs. coarse. Make a well and add your wet ingredients and combine just until they come together. As with any biscuit recipe, you don't wan to over-work the dough or it gets tough. "Flour" your hands with confectioners sugar and separate the dough into 8 equal parts. Then roll each mound in the powdered sugar and fashion into a biscuit. Allow an inch around each biscuit when placing on the cookie sheet as they will spread as they bake. This recipe makes 8 large biscuits.