Mom’s kitchen

There are times and places where this wouldn’t be a recipe. Shortcakes or biscuits topped with sliced, macerated strawberries and a dollop of rich whipped cream would seem as silly to set down with pen and paper as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Your Mom and probably your Grandmother would have taught you a good biscuit recipe that you would know by feel rather than measurement. Strawberries — hulled, sliced and tossed with sugar — are just strawberries as is cream whipped with a whisk to stiff peaks.

But not all of us were taught that at home. My first batch of biscuits with a clearly misprinted recipe produced an unworkable dough that was more of a paste. I was fortunate enough to watch aunts and uncles whip cream in my family’s kitchen between Thanksgiving dinner and dessert, but what I didn’t learn from watching is that we don’t add sugar to whipped cream because the acidity in milk serves to balance the sweet desserts it tops. And I was several years into my cooking career until I learned why strawberries and sugar need time to rest in the refrigerator before serving. The sugar draws out liquid from the strawberries and they macerate in their own juices.

So, it turns out, strawberry shortcake is very much a dish in need of a recipe. One that once you make once or twice you will only briefly scan for quantities. Unless of course, you learned how to make strawberry shortcake in your mother’s kitchen. Then you can just skip this recipe and get cooking.

Strawberry Shortcake with Cardamom Scones

Serves 6

Every element of this classic spring and summer dessert can be elevated - delicate, hand whipped cream, strawberries macerated with a splash of Grand Mariner and scones flavored with a pinch of cardamom. This is strawberry shortcake at its best!

Ingredients:

• 2 pints strawberries, hulled and halved

• 3 tbs sugar

• ¼ cup Grand Mariner

• 3 cups flour

• 2 tbs cup sugar

• 2 ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¾ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp cardamom

• ¾ cup butter cut in 2” pieces

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1/4 cup whole milk to brush scones

• 2 tbs sanding sugar

• 1 cup cream

• Mint sprigs to garnish

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400° F.

• Mix together strawberries, 2 tbs sugar and liqueur. Place in refrigerator to macerate, releasing their natural juices.

• Make scones: Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Toss butter on top of flour mixture. Cut butter in using a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

• Make well in center of dough and add buttermilk. Stir 15 times until the liquid is just incorporated. Remove dough from bowl and place on lightly floured countertop. Knead dough 5-7 turns until it just comes together.

• Separate dough in half, shape into rounds about 6-7” across, and cut into quarters. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Place in oven and bake for 16 minutes. When golden brown on top, remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

• Make whipped cream: In a medium bowl, whisk cream until stiff, airy, moist peaks form.

• Slice scones in half and place bottom half on a plate. Stir together strawberries to coat with juice and spoon liberally over scone bottoms. Top with top halves of the scones and a giant, delicious dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with mint sprigs.

TIP: The tough, crumbly, nearly inedible scones from the coffee counter are a tragically poor representation of this delicate, light biscuit. Work quickly, handling the dough as little as possible, for delightfully tender scones. And make sure that butter is cold!