Strawberry Shortcakes with Meyer Lemon Cream (2024)

Pastry chef Michelle Polzine makes her riff on strawberry shortcake with sweet, intensely flavored Seascape strawberries and fragrant Meyer lemon cream. But since Seascapes and Meyer lemons overlap seasonally for only a few weeks, Polzine says standard lemons are also terrific here.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

The combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour Polzine uses makes for the lightest shortcake, one that is tender in the center with enough structure in the crust for the perfect bite. The buttery shortcakes are topped with turbinado sugar, which gives them glitter and crunch. The strawberries are simply macerated, letting their natural essence shine. Incorporate homemade lemon curd into the softly whipped cream for a sunny flavored topping that brightens up the whole dessert.

Make ahead

The biscuits can be stored in an airtight container overnight. Recrisp them in a warm oven and let cool before serving. The lemon curd can be refrigerated for up to two days; the lemon cream can be refrigerated for up to two hours.

Ingredients

Biscuits

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• ¾ cup cake flour

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 ½ tablespoons turbinado sugar

Lemon Cream

• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, divided

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, preferably from Meyer lemons

• 2 ½ tablespoons sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 large egg yolk

• Pinch of kosher salt

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 1 cup heavy cream

Strawberries

• 2 pints strawberries, quartered

• 2 tablespoons sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose and cake flours with the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the cold butter until it is the size of small peas. Stir in the cream until a shaggy dough forms.

2. Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and knead 2 or 3 times, just until it comes together. Roll the dough into a 7-inch round, about 3/4 inch thick. Using a 2 3/4-inch or 3-inch biscuit cutter, stamp out 5 biscuits. Gently gather the scraps and reroll them; cut out 1 more round so you have a total of 6 biscuits.

3. Transfer the biscuits to a baking sheet and brush with the melted butter. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are golden. Let cool.

4. Set a strainer over a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine half of the lemon zest with the lemon juice, sugar, egg, egg yolk, salt and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Immediately strain the curd into the bowl. Whisk in the remaining lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of butter. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until cool, about 15 minutes.

5. In a medium bowl, softly whip the cream. Fold the lemon curd into the whipped cream and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

6. In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the sugar and let stand for 15 minutes.

7. Split the biscuits in half and arrange the bottom halves on plates. Mound the lemon cream on the biscuits, top with the strawberries and their juices, and replace the tops. Serve right away.