Last spring, we had one of our parish priests over for dinner. He’s a young guy, and was thrilled when I made his favorite dessert…..he claimed it was the best strawberry shortcake ever. I gave him the recipe and he set out to find the elusive pastry blender…unsure of exactly what this mystery item looked like. After checking the appliance aisles of numerous retailers he called a parishioner who brought him one of hers. He was amazed when he realized he owned one himself, but called it a tuna masher…used only to make tuna salad. He went on to make this dessert a number of times….the ultimate compliment for a baker! That shortcake with white chocolate whipped cream has always been my go to recipe…but when I saw a Cook’s Illustrated version, I had to compare…no special equipment needed…just your fingers~
The Indiana strawberry season was short this year due to monsoon-like rains and then record heat. I bought 2 large containers of sweet Indiana berries at our nearby produce stand…and when the boys saw them, they immediately requested shortcake. They gave this version high praise…so now I have two company worthy recipes.
Strawberry Shortcake…adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
3-4 cups fresh strawberries, 1 cup crushed, the rest sliced
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) frozen butter
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon half and half
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon Demerara sugar (regular sugar may be substituted)
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, optional
Mix crushed and slice berries with sugar. Let sit while preparing biscuits.
Preheat oven to 425º.
Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar in a medium bowl. Using the largest holes on a box grater, grate frozen butter into dry ingredients. Toss butter with flour, then using your hands, rub the butter into the dry ingredients till mixture looks like cornmeal.
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
That definitely looks pretty perfect!
Hehehe – I guess a pastry blender would work as a tuna masher! Top marks to your guest, Lizzy, for creative use of a mystery kitchen gadget. He was close!
Your strawberry shortcake looks amazing. I have never had proper strawberry shortcake so this looks like something I need to try very soon – especially as strawberries are plentiful right now.
Your strawberry shortcake is awesome, Liz!! And I so much like the photos
That looks awesome:-)You are making us drool here with u lovely clicks:-)
as usual you are the Queen of desserts in presentation, flavor and making my mouth water!~
Look so nice! Must be very Yummy!
Papacheong
http://home-cook-dishes-for-family.blogspot.com/
Looks great Liz…believe it or not I always use my pastry blender to make tuna salad as well as egg salad….lol
Ah…strawberry season is upon us!! I plan on going out tomorrow morning and picking! These look great! Beautiful photos!
This is something I gotta try! Looks fabulous, Lizzy… Next box of strawberries I buy are going to be turned into Lizzy’s stawberry shortcakes!
Thanks for sharing!
Lizzy-Cooks Illustrated is a fantastic source for recipes…they go through such lengths to illustrate, but I think grating frozen butter is a bit going too far…and no reflection to you!
Cutting the butter into the dough in little pea sizes bits, is just as effective, don’t you think so? The recipe is really great, and I will try this. Your strawberry shortcake is so pretty, and perfectly done. Love shortcake filled with the yummy berries, and loads of whipped cream:D
Lizzie
xoxo
Strawberry shortcake makes me giddy. I love strawberries. I feel less guilty when I eat a dessert with fruit in it. I need to get my hands on a Cooks Illustrated publication. I don’t think I’ve ever seen their works.
Your story was cute, your shortcake is beautiful! Enjoyed this post a lot.
What a beautiful shortcake. It’s one of my all time favorite desserts. Simple, but incredible.
Yum, strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts of all time! I was just thinking I needed to make a batch soon, before the strawberries disappear.
I just took a wander through some of your old posts and wanted to say I will definitely be bookmarking your blog. You have amazing pictures and some very tasty looking recipes.
My husband is always badgering me to make strawberry shortcake, but I never like how the poundcake version gets all soggy. Looks like a biscuit would stand up to the strawberry juices a little better. Maybe he’ll get his strawberry shortcake after all!
I’m cracking up over his “tuna masher”!
Amy @ A Little Nosh
This looks good! I love strawberries! I’ve never made my own shortcakes so I will have to try it.
Looks wonderful, Lizzy! Strawberry Shortcake is my favorite, too! I always asked for it for my birthday cake! We are SO lucky to have strawberries year-round here in Oxnard!
Also love your story!
Oh Lizzy, these look so good! I can’t wait until I can get fresh strawberries here in Iowa. This is one of our all time favorite things to make! Once a year we get this for dinner – can’t wait!
Looks very yummy, and with a simple recipe too!
Cute! And I’m in love with that strawberry shortcake! Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters
These strawberry shortcakes look GREAT…my favorite summer dessert!
I love shortcakes with biscuits! And that fluffy whipped cream looks divine!
What a cute story! I’ve never heard of it being called a tuna masher. This shortbread recipe looks delicious!
I’ve never actually made shortcake for my strawberry shortcake. Typically I get those sponge dessert cup thingies by the strawberries. This looks so much better and I really need to try that white chocolate whipped cream you mentioned. It sounds divine!
It actually pains me that I have to wait another 3 months for strawberries to be in season
This looks amazing!
Love the biscuit idea. One of my favorite summer desserts – and one can just make the biscuits ahead and assemble at ease. ( I love easy stuff.)
Oh man I’m always lazy and make my shortcakes with poundcake…this is making me wanna go old school and whip up some biscuits, though, to go with all the gorgeous summer fruit around…
Loved your story…a tuna masher indeed…teehee
Strawberry shortcake seems like a very “priestly” thing to like…like watching Father Ted.
Very cute and easier version of strawberry short cake. If it goes into tummy, all version is the same. So I rather want to prepare this easy one (how lazy!). Looks beautiful and yummy at the same time!
These look so very good, Lizzy!
These look wonderful, Lizzy! This is my fav type of strawberry shortcake!