We're always in love with something new. It's not that we're fickle bitches, it's just
we're so full of passion we're always lusting after something: a pair of Louboutin's, the newest Aman resort, Johnny Depp...
Since there's nothing worse than unrequited lust, and we are B's on Budget, we work hard at finding affordable pleasures. And what could be better for any bargain hunter than an oversupply of strawberries? A late Florida crop has run into California harvest time resulting in a temporary glut of berries. With prices as low as $1.25 a pound we're head-over-heels madly in love with strawberries this week.
Nothing (well almost nothing) is more satisfying than juicy-sweet-ripe-red strawberries, freshly whipped cream and homemade biscuits.
The Simplest Strawberry Shortcake
4-6 cups hulled fresh strawberries
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2-1/2 cups flour
2-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sugar (plus sugar to taste)
1-1/4 cup cream
Mash half of the strawberries with a fork until pulpy. Taste for sweetness-- if necessary add sugar to taste and let rest. Thinly slice the remaining strawberries, leaving a few whole for garnish.
In a food processor mix the dry ingredients. Add chilled butter cut into small pieces and pulse until mixture has the texture of cornmeal. Add cream and pulse until the mixture is just blended. Do NOT let this get sticky. Turn the mixture out to a lightly floured board. Kneed gently, careful to not overwork the dough or it will get 'tough'. With a well-floured rolling pin roll the dough to ¾ inch thickness. Choose whatever size cookie cutter you'ld like and press straight down to cut the biscuits. (Don't twist as you cut them out.) Gather up the scraps and re-roll them to maximize your biscuit yield. Gently place the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet or Silpat liner 1 inch apart and bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown -keep an eye on them as each oven cooks differently.
As the biscuits are baking, whip the cream until it forms gentle soft peaks. Add sugar or vanilla if you like (we're purists and don't).
Slice the biscuits in half while they are still warm from the oven. Ladle mashed strawberries on the bottom, add sliced strawberries and whipped cream. Top the biscuits with more strawberry slices and more whipped cream. Garnish each shortcake with a whole strawberry. Serve.
Love satisfied.
Read more from this author at Bitches on a Budget.
Become a Fan on Facebook.