The PEI strawberry season is renowned, and it’s in full swing by the time Canada Day rolls around. The Farmers and Fishers of Prince Edward Island developed this traditional recipe to highlight some of their famous produce in a light, summery and iconic dessert. Don’t worry – fresh, local strawberries from any province will work just as well.
Classic Strawberry Shortcake
A traditional recipe for personal-sized strawberry shortcakes with vanilla whipped cream, from the Farmers and Fishers of Prince Edward Island.
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 1 tsp salt
- 1¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1¼ cups full-fat sour cream
- 1 tbsp 35% cream
- 2 tbsp demerara sugar
Macerated Strawberries
- 1 lb strawberries hulled and quartered
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 1 cup 35% cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry biscuit ingredients except the demerara sugar. Add butter and crumble into the flour with your hands until the mixture is well incorporated and no butter pieces are larger than the size of a pea. Make a well in the centre of the bowl, add the sour cream and mix in with a fork. Mix as much as you can with the fork and then knead the dough with your hands, just until it begins to form a ball.
- With a medium-sized ice-cream scoop, drop 8 portions (about 1⁄2 cup each) onto a silicone baking mat or parchment paper- lined baking tray, keeping the biscuits 2 inches apart. Brush biscuits with cream and sprinkle over demerara sugar. Bake for 16–18 minutes, until biscuits have puffed up and are golden brown. Place biscuits on a rack to cool.
- While biscuits are baking, prepare macerated strawberries. In a medium bowl, mix together strawberries, sugar, lemon zest and juice. Set aside for at least 30 minutes at room temperature until juices are released.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add cream, icing sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium-high until you have soft peaks, about 2 minutes.
- Once biscuits have cooled, slice in half crosswise. Add a spoonful of strawberries, then top with a generous dollop of whipped cream, spoon on more strawberries and some of their juice. Repeat with remaining biscuits.
