How to Make Strawberry Shortcake

Simply one of the world's great desserts: strawberries and lightly whipped cream on top of a shortcake biscuit. You'll need to start with one recipe of our shortcakes (see Related eHow), which makes enough for eight to twelve shortcake desserts.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 recipe shortcakes (see Related eHow)
• 10 c. sliced strawberries
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 pint chilled heavy whipping cream
• 2 to 3 drops vanilla extract
• Optional garnish: Mint leaves
• Groceries
• Wire Whisks
• Copper Bowls

1. Place the sliced strawberries in a bowl. Toss with the sugar, adding a little bit at a time, so each slice is coated fairly evenly. You may not need all the sugar.

2. Chill the strawberries for about half an hour or longer. The sugar will draw out some of the berries' moisture, forming a syrup.

3. Place the chilled cream in a bowl and add the vanilla.

4. Whip the cream with a whisk, and pay attention as it starts to build in volume. Stop whisking when the whipped cream is light and airy but still loose. It should not be too stiff, and can even be slightly pourable.

5. Reheat the biscuits, if desired.

6. Use a serrated knife to slice each biscuit in half horizontally.

7. To serve, place a biscuit half on a plate, top with a generous spoonful of strawberries and syrup, then place a dollop of whipped cream on top. Put a berry piece on top of the cream to look pretty.

8. Serve immediately. The biscuit will soak up the strawberry syrup, which helps make this dessert luscious, but if left too long the biscuit will become soggy.

9. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Very fresh, sweet strawberries are the key to this dessert. Find the best you can, cut away the green tops and any white parts, and slice them fairly thick or quarter them so they'll have some texture.
• You can sweeten the cream slightly if desired, but the dessert is better balanced if the cream is unsweetened. The berries are already mighty sweet, and cream has some natural sugar.
• This dessert can be made with virtually any berry or juicy fruit.
• If you have to hold the whipped cream in the refrigerator and it falls, you can rewhip it.
• Don't chill the strawberries and sugar for more than a few hours, or the berries will get mushy.

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on 11/22/2005 Buy a box of white cake mix. Make the cake, and let it cool. Add the whipped cream; add the strawberries; and then add strawberry pie glaze over the strawberries. Serve chilled. Simple and yummy. Costs about $5.

on 6/7/2007 If you are using ripe strawberries, then you don't need to add extra sugar! In fact the sugar can overpower the fruit.

To create a syrup with the berries, take a wooden spoon and stir the berries for a few minutes until a syrup coats the berries.

on 11/22/2005 Organic strawberries are usually sweeter and more complex than the conventional variety. If you can find them, organic strawberries are worth the extra expense.

on 11/22/2005 Buy an angelfood cake. Slice about 2 in. off the top; save. Mix lite Cool Whip with chopped strawberries, ice top only. Replace cut piece of cake.In blender puree 1 c. lite Cool Whip & 1 c. strawberries. Drizzle over cake. Refrigerate 1 hr. Serve, enjoy.