Desserts
British
BritishStrawberry Shortcake
Buttery shortcake layered with strawberries and cream, shown three ways. Basic uses shop sponge and squirty cream; Ultimate bakes proper scone-style shortcakes with vanilla mascarpone cream and macerated strawberries.
Vegetarian
Nut-free
Better version
Homemade sweet shortcake biscuits with hand-whipped cream and lightly sugared berries.
Per serving£1.55
Total cost£6.20
Time40 min
Ingredients for 4
- Shortcakes
- 225 g self-raising flour
- 55 g unsalted butter , cold, cubed
- 40 g caster sugar
- 130 ml whole milk
- To assemble
- 400 g strawberries , hulled and quartered
- 2 tbsp caster sugar , for the berries
- 250 ml double cream
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
Method
- Heat oven to 200C/180C fan. Rub butter into the flour, then stir in sugar.
- Add milk and bring together into a soft dough; pat out and cut 4 rounds.
- Bake the shortcakes for 13-15 minutes until risen and golden, then cool.
- Toss the strawberries with the 2 tbsp sugar and rest 10 minutes.
- Whip the double cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks.
- Split each shortcake, fill with cream and strawberries, and replace the top.
Equipment
- baking tray
- round cutter
- mixing bowl
- whisk
The three ways, side by side
Budget
Shop-bought sponge flan case, tinned-quality strawberries and aerosol cream.
Better
Homemade sweet shortcake biscuits with hand-whipped cream and lightly sugared berries.
Ultimate
Vanilla-butter shortcakes, balsamic-macerated strawberries and whipped mascarpone-vanilla cream.
