How to make Strawberry Shortcake

Things You'll Need

• Groceries
• Wire Whisks
  
• Copper Bowls
• 1 recipe shortcakes (see Related eHow)
• 10 c. sliced strawberries
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 pint chilled heavy whipping cream
• 2 to 3 drops vanilla extract
• Optional garnish: Mint leaves

Step One

Place the sliced strawberries in a bowl. Toss with the sugar, adding a little bit at a time, so each slice is coated fairly evenly. You may not need all the sugar.

Step Two

Chill the strawberries for about half an hour or longer. The sugar will draw out some of the berries' moisture, forming a syrup.

Step Three

Place the chilled cream in a bowl and add the vanilla.

Step Four

Whip the cream with a whisk, and pay attention as it starts to build in volume. Stop whisking when the whipped cream is light and airy but still loose. It should not be too stiff, and can even be slightly pourable.

Step Five

Reheat the biscuits, if desired.

Step Six

Use a serrated knife to slice each biscuit in half horizontally.

Step Seven

To serve, place a biscuit half on a plate, top with a generous spoonful of strawberries and syrup, then place a dollop of whipped cream on top. Put a berry piece on top of the cream to look pretty.

Step Eight

Serve immediately. The biscuit will soak up the strawberry syrup, which helps make this dessert luscious, but if left too long the biscuit will become soggy.

Step Nine

Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Very fresh, sweet strawberries are the key to this dessert. Find the best you can, cut away the green tops and any white parts, and slice them fairly thick or quarter them so they'll have some texture.
• You can sweeten the cream slightly if desired, but the dessert is better balanced if the cream is unsweetened. The berries are already mighty sweet, and cream has some natural sugar.
• This dessert can be made with virtually any berry or juicy fruit.
• If you have to hold the whipped cream in the refrigerator and it falls, you can rewhip it.
• Don't chill the strawberries and sugar for more than a few hours, or the berries will get mushy.