Best Strawberry Shortcakes With Vanilla Orange Syrup Recipes

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• 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 bottom half of a shortcake on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of berries. Cover with a top half, add a few more berries, and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch-round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Make the cake: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk the melted butter, vanilla bean paste, eggs, milk and lemon zest in a medium bowl until just smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out of the pan onto the rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the toppings and filling: Halve 16 strawberries. Whisk 1 tablespoon water and the strawberry jelly in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the halved strawberries and toss to coat; set aside. Thinly slice the remaining strawberries, then toss with 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in another medium bowl; set aside. Beat the heavy cream, the remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to assemble. Carefully cut the cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Place the bottom half cut-side up on a platter. Drizzle the juices from the sliced berries over the cut sides of both cake halves. Fold a few tablespoons of the whipped cream into the sliced berries; spoon over the bottom cake layer. Cover with the other cake layer, then top with the remaining whipped cream. Top with the halved strawberries and their juices. Photograph by Anna Williams

SIMPLE STRAWBERRY SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat; stir until sugar is dissolved. Mix strawberries into saucepan and bring to a boil; boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until strawberries are mushy and sauce is thick, about 10 minutes. Strain liquid into a bottle and refrigerate.

OLD FASHIONED STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Mix strawberries and 1 cup sugar in a bowl and allow to stand while you complete remaining steps. Stir occasionally to help juice form.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch round baking pan.
• Combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; cut in shortening with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir milk into crumb mixture until just blended; pour into prepared baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes; cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing shortcake.
• Split shortcake into two layers; spread bottom layer with 2 tablespoons softened butter and top with strawberries and juice. Place top layer over strawberries. Serve with whipped cream.