Welcoming spring today with these delicious Strawberry Shortcake Cups. This dessert is springtime eating at its best, a dish that highlights the freshness of its ingredients and the purity of its flavors. And it’s easy to teach kids to make, too.
Simply layer golden flakey shortcakes with fresh whipped cream and chopped strawberries for a wonderful spring treat. The beauty of layered jar desserts like this one is that you have a little more room for error, unlike a cake. With a cake you have to be fairly precise with your layers, otherwise the entire dessert can topple over. Layering your ingredients in glasses or jars, makes things a little less stressful, as it doesn’t matter if things aren’t perfect.
For a bit of added interest, keep a few of the strawberries whole or halved and place on top of the dessert. Just think of all the oohs you’ll receive as you parade this beauty around at a spring get-together or dinner party.
Ingredients:
2 pints ripe, well-rinsed strawberries
½ cup sugar, or more to taste
4 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 ¼ cups butter
3 cups whipping cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Pick over and hull strawberries. Cut in half or slice, depending on size. Gently crush about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and the 1/2 cup of sugar, adding more sugar if necessary. Set aside, covered, for about half an hour to develop flavor.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add 3/4 cup of softened butter, and rub into dry ingredients as for pastry. Add 1 1/4 cups cream, and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough for one minute on a lightly floured pastry board, then roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut an even number of rounds – 2 rounds per serving.
- Use a little of the butter to grease a baking sheet. Place half the rounds on it. Melt remaining butter and brush a little on the rounds; place remaining rounds on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, and pull shortcakes apart. Brush the insides with some of the remaining melted butter.
- Beat remaining cream until it thickens. Add vanilla. Beat again just until thick.
- Place a shortcake in the bottom of a tall glass. Top with a generous spoonful of berries and then top with whipped cream. Continue to layer as desired. Serve immediately.
