Sun-sweetened strawberries shine in this Strawberry Shortcake recipe. Author Rachael Sobczak of Water Tank Bakery exclusively uses Cairnspring Mills Flour in all of her baked goods. The shortcakes are buttery, light, and flavorful. To top them off are the glorious Skagit-grown strawberries of Schuh Farms. Want to get a taste of #magicskagit? A strawberry shortcake recipe is an American classic. This one is a Skagit classic!
The Skagit Valley produces 20% of Washington State’s strawberries. The soil quality and fertility of the Valley ranks of the best in the world. The result? Some of the most nutritious and flavorful fruits and vegetables showcasing the terroir and hard work of Skagit’s farmers. Schuh Farms grows 5 varieties of strawberries which include Albion, Shuksan, Hood, Rainier, and Puget Summer. They ripen throughout the summer in succession — visitors to their Farm Store need never fear! Strawberries are here.
Want to find a farm stand with fresh, sweet, Skagit-grown strawberries?
Rachael Sobczak is the owner and head baker of Water Tank Bakery. Breads made with sourdough levain with long ferments are the first cornerstone of her bakery. Her product lines also include pizza, cookies and new items regularly. The second cornerstone is the use of craft flour stone-milled at Cairnspring Mills. Traditional stones preserve the grain’s germ — where all the flavor and nutrition live. The biscuits in Rachael’s Strawberry Shortcake recipe use Cairnspring’s “Edison All-Purpose Flour”. The wheat was grown by Skagit farmers, the grains were milled by a Skagit mill, the recipe was created by a Skagit baker, and the strawberries were grown by a Skagit farmer. Now there’s some #magicskagit.
Ingredients
2 pints fresh strawberries
5 tablespoons sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 pint heavy whipping cream
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 450o F
- Wash and hull strawberries. Cut in half or slice. Gently mash about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and 1 tablespoon of sugar; feel free to adjust sugar to taste. Cover and set aside to develop flavor.
- Measure 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl and set aside. The remaining cream will be used in the biscuits.
- Into a different large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add cold butter and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or fork until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Add 1 cup cream, and gently mix to a soft dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead just to combine. Press/roll it out to about 3/4-inch thickness. Cut, using a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Push together the remaining pieces of dough and pat into a 3/4-inch thick round. Cut out several more rounds then discard the scrap. You should get at least 8 pieces.
- Set the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet, two inches apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.
- While the biscuits are baking, beat the remaining 1 cup of cream and sugar with a whisk until soft peaks hold.
- To assemble the strawberry shortcakes, cut the biscuits in half and place a bottom on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of berries. Cover with a top half and dollop with whipped cream. Add a few more berries as a garnish. Serve immediately.
