I cut the recipe in half. Some SMS bakers commented that the shortcakes were pretty big, so instead of 3 shortcakes, I decided to make 4 (smaller) shortcakes, which ended up being big enough for us. The shortcakes turned out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I ended up needing 1 tsp less cream in the dough. The lemon zest in them was definitely a good addition. I decided to add some freshly ground cardamom to the shortcake dough which added spiciness as well as a lemony aroma. Instead of regular sugar, I used raw (turbinado) sugar to sprinkle on top of the shortcakes.
The kitchen smelled so nice while the shortcakes were baking. While the shortcakes were in the oven, I macerated the sliced strawberries and whipped the cream. As soon as the shortcakes were cool enough, I used a fork to split open the shortcakes and was pleasantly surprised at the tender crumb. The assembly was truly a piece of (short) cake :o)
Final thoughts/tips:
- Hubby and I enjoyed these strawberry shortcakes very much. It's such a simple dessert that's packed with great flavor. I would definitely make them again.
- Leftover shortcakes (not assembled) were great the next day, although they were a tiny bit crumbly which was fine.
- I used a large pizza cutter to cut the dough into 4 equal pieces.
- Don't forget to check out the other SMS bakers' Strawberry Shortcakes.
