Original Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

This recipe was found at The Prepared Pantry (http://www.preparedpantry.com/AllAboutShortcake.htm). There are great recipes there, so you should visit. But, I found this when looking for a quick and easy recipe for strawberry shortcake one day when I was out of Bisquick. However, I really just used the recipe as a guideline, and I am posting the recipe for Simple Shortcake for what I did make.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour (or more)
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 cup  cold butter, cut into chunks
• 1  large egg
• 3⁄4 cup  cream (or more)
• 1  tablespoon  melted butter or 1  tablespoon  cream, for brushing
• 2  tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 2  pints  ripe strawberries
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  cup heavy cream
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2 -4  tablespoons sugar

Directions

1. For the shortcake:.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
5. Whisk the egg into the cream. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the cream mixture into the well. Mix with a fork until the ingredients just stick together.
6. (Three Ways to Make Shortcakes. 1-Make them as drop biscuits. The dough must be moist enough to drop from a spoon and pat into a flat disc. Add more milk as needed to get the desired consistency. 2-Make them as cut-out biscuits. The dough must be slightly firm to cut into shapes on the counter. Sprinkle a little flour on the counter or add flour to the dough if needed. Don’t add so much flour that the dough is firm like sugar cookie dough. Pat the soft dough out on the counter and cut into three–inch discs. If the dough is wet and the shape is a little ragged, it’s perfect. 3-Make one large shortcake. Spread the dough into an eight-inch cake pan or nine-inch pie pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.).
7. Brush the tops with the melted butter or cream. Sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake for about fifteen minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack. Serve while still fresh and warm.
8. Note: For the best results, always serve shortcake fresh. The dough can sit in the refrigerator for up to two hours while waiting to bake.
9. For the strawberries: Wash and slice the strawberries. Sprinkle the strawberries with sugar and toss to coat.
10. For the whipped cream: Combine the whipped cream, two tablespoons sugar, and the vanilla in a chilled bowl. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form. Sweeten with the additional sugar if desired.
11. To serve: Split the warm biscuits open. Fill with berries and whipped cream. Top with additional whipped cream and berries.