
Strawberry Shortcake
Makes 8 ServingsIngredients
* | INGREDIENTS FOR THE SHORTCAKES |
* | 2 cups flour |
* | 3 tbls. sugar |
* | 1/2 tsp. salt |
* | 4 tsps. baking powder |
* | 1/2 lb. chilled butter |
* | 1/3 cup heavy cream |
* | INGREDIENTS FOR THE STRAWBERRIES |
* | 1 lb. fresh strawberries |
* | 2 tbls. sugar |
* | 1/2 cup orange juice |
* | 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped and whole for garnish |
* | 1 cup heavy cream for whipping |

Instructions
1 | FOR THE SHORTCAKES: Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. |
2 | Work the butter into the mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives (as for pie dough) until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in cream until it is just incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead briefly for about 30 seconds. |
3 | Roll the dough out on a floured board to 3/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds 2 inches across (a juice glass makes a good cutter) and set on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush with a little cream and sprinkle with sugar. |
4 | Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 12-15 minutes. |
5 | WHILE THE SHORTCAKES ARE BAKING, PREPARE THE STRAWBERRIES: Stem and wash the berries briefly under cold water. Cut the berries into medium slices. Put berries in a glass bowl and sprinkle them with sugar, orange juice and chopped mint. |
6 | In a clean mixing bowl, whip the cream. |
7 | To serve: carefully cut the tops off the shortcakes and reheat both halves in a hot oven for 1 1/2 minutes. Put the bottoms onto a serving platter and spoon the strawberries over them. Spoon a little whipped cream on the strawberries and replace the tops. Garnish with additional mint leaves. |


Source
Gordon Hamersley of Hamersley's Bistro, Boston, MA.