Strawberry Shortcake

Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries; roughly mash one-quarter of them with a fork. Stir them all with the sugar and set the bowl aside until the berries release their juices and form a glossy syrup.

Start heating the oven to 220°C / 430°F. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the cold butter into cubes and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until pea-size pieces remain. Add 180 ml of the cold cream and mix just until the dough comes together.

On a floured work surface, pat the dough by hand to 2.5 cm thick. Cut six biscuits with a 7 cm cutter, pressing straight down and lifting without twisting; twisted edges will not rise. Arrange the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the remaining cream.

Bake the biscuits for 12–14 minutes, until the tops are golden and the bottoms are light brown. This recipe uses the high end of the oven range; the heat turns moisture from the cold butter into steam, puffing the biscuit into flaky layers.

Whip the cold cream with the confectioners’ sugar to soft peaks; when lifted from the whisk, it should hold its shape while the tips soften slightly.

Split the warm biscuits in half with a fork; a knife leaves a smooth surface that absorbs less fruit juice. Spoon the strawberries and their juices over the bottom halves, add the whipped cream, and cap with the top halves. Add 1 spoonful of strawberries and serve right away.