Best Strawberry Shortcake

Heat the oven to 425°F (conventional, no fan) and line two rimmed baking pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, lemon zest, three tablespoons of granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

Use a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is the size of small peas. I used a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment because my carpal tunnel is real.

Stir 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla into the flour mixture just until a dough forms.

Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Gently shape each piece of dough into a biscuit-shaped round about 3/4-inch thick. You can cut them with a biscuit cutter if you would like crisp edges. I like the rustic look.

Chill the biscuits on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the dough with turbinado sugar. I didn’t brush them with heavy cream or anything. The dough is pretty sticky, so it just stuck!

Once chilled, transfer the biscuits to the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the baked biscuits to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, rinse and drain the strawberries. Slice into bite-sized pieces. I usually cut a standard strawberry into 8 pieces.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir the strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice until well mixed. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use immediately, or store the berries, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours or overnight. The berries will continue to break down as they sit.

Just before serving, make the whipped cream. In a large mixing bowl, beat the powdered sugar and 1 cup of heavy cream with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. I usually finish by hand with a whisk just to ensure it doesn’t over-whip.

Use a serrated knife to gently cut the shortcakes in half.

Top each bottom half with a generous spoonful or two of the strawberry mixture. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream, and more berries if desired.

Top with the top half of the shortcake. Serve immediately.