Instructions

1. Before you start making the biscuits, you will want to prepare the strawberries so that they have time to release their juices. Simply, combine the strawberries and ¼ cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve the strawberry shortcakes.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C.)
3. Now, you can start making the biscuits. In a food processor, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt by giving it a few pulses. Then, add in the cubed butter and pulse until the butter is broken down into pea-sized pieces.
4. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a dough blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients and break down the butter into to pea-sized pieces.
5. At this point, you can transfer the ingredients into a large bowl, and add 1 cup of buttermilk.
6. Use a spatula to combine the ingredients. It will be very shaggy and loose. After the dough starts to come together I found that I had to fold it together to really get the dry ingredients incorporated. It was still very crumbly at this point.
7. Lightly flour your work surface and place your dough in the center. Flatten the dough until it’s about ¾” thick and fold it up and in as if you are folding up a letter. Be sure to push any crumbly ingredients into the center as you work to get everything incorporated.
8. Rotate the dough and repeat two more times, or as needed to fully get everything to come together. You don’t want to overwork the dough, but you do need to make sure it isn’t still crumbly.
9. Flatten the dough out to about 3/4″ thick and use a round cutter that is about 2-1/2″ to 3″ in diameter. I used a cup because it’s much easier to find than digging through my box of cookie cutters. I like to use a small container with flour to dip my cup in to make sure that the dough releases easily from the cup.
10. Press the cutter into the dough to cut out the biscuits, but do not twist the cutter at all. Twisting the cutter will seal the edges and not allow the dough to fully rise.
11. Assemble the biscuits into the cast iron pan or on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Allow them to touch each other so that the biscuits can rise up and not outwards.
12. Use a pastry brush to brush on the remaining buttermilk onto the tops of the biscuits, and sprinkle course sugar on top.
13. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are a golden brown color.
14. Allow the biscuits to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

To serve, slice the biscuits in half and layer the strawberries and homemade whipped cream between the biscuits and on top.

Homemade whipped cream

To make the whipped cream whisk together whipping cream, sugar and vanilla together. It will take a mixer about 3-5 minutes on medium speed for the mixture to start to thicken up and form soft peaks.