Strawberry Shortcake

This shortcake is ... divine. I kid you not. It's so good, it doesn't need the strawberries and cream I could eat it alone, and I just had two while typing this post and uploading pictures. The strawberries and whipped cream does put it over the top though. I love strawberries and even though you can get them year round now they still remind me of summer and warm weather.

The key to this shortcake is cold ingredients- well the butter, cream and eggs anyway.

3 cups flour
1/4 sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup cold butter
2/3 cup cold heavy cream
1 egg beaten
topping-
whipping cream
sugar


For the strawberries you will need

3 cups of strawberries
2-3 tablespoons of sugar
lemon juice- one wedge (I used lime, I had one cut and didn't want to cut a lemon)


For the whipped cream you will need

heavy whipping cream
vanilla extract
nutmeg
sugar- if you like your whipped cream with sugar, I don't



Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl mix flour, sugar (no my sugar isn't old it's evaporated cane juice so it looks tan, and is delicious try it!), baking powder, and cream of tartar.







Cut up two sticks of cold butter. Put it into the bowl with the flour.







With two butter knives start cutting the butter in, see those big lumps? Not really? Well trust me they are there, cut them up...








It's OK if you have small pea sized clumps.







Measure the heavy cream...







add the egg and beat it up.









Pour the cream and egg into the flour and stir it.







It will be crumbly, don't add any liquid it will be fine.








On a floured surface dump out the crumbly mixture... bring it together quickly, don't keep your hands on the dough too long, the butter will melt. Knead it for two minutes.







See it comes together nicely.









Pat it out, or use a rolling pin if you want to wash one. You want it to be 1/2 inch thick.
Cut it into 16 squares, or make hearts or shapes if you want.




Place them on a baking sheet, I used my silpat so I didn't grease it, I am unsure you would need to grease it anyway. Maybe a little? If so use your empty butter wrappers and rub them on there.






Brush the tops with heavy cream.








Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for about 20 minutes.
















Now for the strawberries

Rinse them off...







Cut them up how you like them.









Squeeze some lemon juice on them.








Sprinkle the sugar on top.







Mix it up and cover and refrigerate, I like them to sit overnight.