Description
Ina Garten’s strawberry shortcakes blend classic American dessert techniques with elegant French pastry flair. Delicate biscuits, macerated berries, and whipped cream create a sophisticated summer treat that delights taste buds and showcases seasonal ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced
- 2 cups (473 ml/16 oz) all-purpose flour
- 12 tbsps (170 g/1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
- 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup (118 ml/4 fl oz) cold heavy cream
- 2 tbsps Grand Marnier liqueur
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Granulated sugar
- 1 egg beaten with 2 tbsps water or milk, for egg wash
- Sweetened whipped cream
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat the oven to 200°C | 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for perfect biscuit baking conditions.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into an electric mixer bowl with paddle attachment, creating a uniform dry base.
- Butter Integration: Incorporate cold butter into the dry mixture at low speed until the texture resembles tiny pea-sized fragments, crucial for achieving a flaky consistency.
- Dough Formation: Whisk eggs and heavy cream, then gradually blend into the flour mixture on low speed until just combined, maintaining a delicate texture.
- Biscuit Shaping: Roll out the dough on a flour-dusted surface to 1.25-1.5cm thickness, preserving visible butter chunks, and cut into 5cm round shapes using a flour-dipped cutter.
- Pre-Baking Preparation: Brush biscuit tops with egg wash and sprinkle granulated sugar, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet for an enticing golden finish.
- Baking Process: Bake for 15-20 minutes until achieving a rich golden-brown color, then cool directly on the baking sheet to preserve texture.
- Strawberry Maceration: Combine sliced strawberries with sugar and Grand Marnier in a mixing bowl, allowing flavors to intensify and meld together.
- Dessert Assembly: Layer macerated strawberries in martini glasses, top with whipped cream, and accompany with 2-3 freshly baked shortcakes for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Butter Temperature Matters: Keep butter extremely cold and in small chunks to guarantee the flakiest, most tender shortcake texture possible.
- Minimal Mixing Technique: Mix dough just until ingredients combine to prevent tough, dense biscuits; overmixing develops gluten and reduces delicate crumb quality.
- Sugar Sprinkle Strategy: Generously dust shortcake tops with sugar before baking to create a delightful caramelized, crispy exterior that adds elegant crunch.
- Maceration Magic: Allow strawberries to rest with sugar and liqueur for at least 15-30 minutes to intensify flavors and create a luscious, syrupy fruit base.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg