Strawberry Shortcake: Kicking Strawberry Shortcake up a Notch

Is there anyone who doesn't love strawberry shortcake? In the Cooking for Two poll on favorite spring veggies strawberries were only a single percentage point behind asparagus. (I know, strawberries are a fruit, not a vegetable, but they're also a highlight of late spring gardens.) By mother always made the shortcakes using lightly sweetened biscuit dough (which seems to be a Southern thing) and she macerated the strawberries to make a sauce. That's still my favorite way to eat strawberries, although in this recipe I've bumped it up a couple of notches. By the way, this may be the best breakfast ever made. Serves 4.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• *** Strawberries ***
• 1 qt. strawberries; capped and halved or quartered, depending on size
• 1 - 2 Tbsp. sugar (depending on berry's sweetness)
• 2 Tbsp. Fra Angelica
• *** Shortcake ***
• 1 1/4 cup Bisquick
• 2 Tbsp. hazlenut flour (optional)*
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. usalted butter; melted
• 1 cup whipping cream

Preparation:

1. Prep the strawberries at least three hours in advance and as long as six hours before eating. Taste a couple of berries to get an idea of how sweet they are, then add the Fra Angelica and as much sugar as seems necessary. (Note: You do want to add some sugar because it draws the juices out of the berries.) Cover with plastic, and allow to macerate on the counter-top (refrigerating them will slow down the maceration and dull the flavor).

2. Heat oven to 450F. Chill a bowl and beaters for making whipped cream.

3. To make the shortcake, place the Bisquick, hazelnut flour, and sugar in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

4. Add the milk and butter and stir in. You’ll end up with a sticky dough.

5. Flour your hands and turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Using your hands gently pat out into 6 by 6-inch rectangle.

6. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds as you can (you should end up with 4). Place rounds on an ungreased cookie sheet, shape remaining dough into a round and add it to the sheet.

7. Bake until well-browned on top (if you wish, you can melt some additional butter and brush the tops) , 12 - 15 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, whip the cream to soft peaks. If you wish to sweeten the cream, add 2 tablespoons of Fra Angelico, while whipping to stiff peaks.

9. Cut hot cakes in half and set on plates. Drizzle with strawberry juices then distribute strawberries and top with whipped cream. Eat immediately.

If you let the shortcakes cool, you can wrap them in a plastic bag and warm them in 400F oven for 8 minutes the next day. Be sure to refrigerate any leftover berries and any leftover cream can be rewhipped.

*Note: you can make hazlenut flour by finely chopping hazlenuts in a food grinder or processor. Hazlenuts are a key flavoring in Fra Angelico.

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