I’m not quite sure when strawberry season begins but it’s got to be now because I just bought two MASSIVE tubs of strawberries for $5.  It seems like they should be a springtime fruit but here they are, in the dead of winter, waving at us from the other side saying, “Hang in there, not long now!!”   And don’t you just need them?  I swear if I eat another mandarin or navel orange I am going to lose it.  These first-to-be-picked strawberries were lovely, sweet and oh-so juicy – just like you want strawberries to be.  I have been feasting on them like a woman possessed.  I don’t think I can get enough of them.  To honour their presence I have been waxing on about what we can make with them – tart, jam, juice – all have been discussed but my favourite is the great strawberry shortcake. The great strawberry shortcake is the perfect combination of summer and winter – warm, buttery shortcake, lashings of cream and fresh, juicy strawberries.  A little bit of sunshine on a chilly winter’s night.  Through some strange act of fate, Jason has never had strawberry shortcake – until now.  Was it a success?  Did he like it you ask?  Well, you know, if pictures say a thousand words then I’m pretty sure, he did.

Strawberry Shortcake

1 punnet of strawberries

1/2 cup cream, to serve

4 cups plain flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons sugar

170 grams cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 210 degrees celsius.  Line a baking sheet with baking paper.  Into a food processor place flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and process until combined.  Add cold butter and process until the mixture is like coarse sand.  Don’t over process or the shortcake will be rubbery and hard.  There can be pieces of butter in the mixture but not too large.  Add buttermilk and process until mixture is just combined.  Turn out onto a floured work surface and gather together into a ball.  Cut into 8 pieces.  (At this stage you can wrap any pieces you are not going to cook and freeze until later.)  Gather each piece and press down until it is about an inch high.  Don’t overwork the dough.  Place onto the baking tray and cook for 15 – 18 minutes.  Whip cream and slice warm shortcake in half.  On bottom half place strawberries and a dollop of cream and place other half on top.  Dust with icing sugar.  Eat and think of sunshine.