Nick Malgieri
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Nick Malgieri

Best Strawberry Shortcake

This easy recipe is adapted from Great Baking Begins with White Lily Flour, a collection of Southern baking recipes published by the eponymous Knoxville mill.

Makes one 8-inch shortcake, about 8 large servings

Filling

4 cups sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Shortcake

2 cups self-rising flour
2 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large egg
2/3 cup cream or buttermilk

One 8-inch pan, buttered, lined with parchment or wax paper

  1. To make filling, combine sliced berries and sugar and allow to macerate, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours before serving. Whip cream with sugar and vanilla, cover and refrigerate.
  2. For the shortcake, preheat oven to 450 degrees and set a rack in the middle level.
  3. Combine flour and sugar in bowl of a food processor outfitted with the metal blade and pulse several times to mix. Cut butter into 8 pieces and add. Pulse 12 to 15 times to reduce to fine crumbs. Whisk egg and cream together and add. Pulse several times to mix. At this point the dough will be very soft. Scrape dough into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until well colored and firm, about 15 to 20 minutes. Invert from pan to a rack to cool.
  4. To assemble, split shortcake and place one round on a platter. Top with half the berries and half the cream. Place second layer of shortcake on top of cream and repeat with remaining berries and cream. Serve immediately.