Roasted Strawberry Shortcakes with Vanilla Biscuits

Make these.  Just do it.  You'll thank me later.  My aunt made them for us in San Diego and I could have eaten the whole batch.  They're perfect since strawberries are in abundance right now and summer is, after all, the time for Strawberry Shortcake (Ok, did you just love the Strawberry Shortcake cartoon when you were little like I did?  I totally just started singing the theme song in my head.)  There's a twist on these though.  The strawberries are roasted and the juices just seep out of them.  It's delicious.  And it's on a vanilla biscuit, which alone is dangerously good.  And one more thing...the whip cream has sour cream in it so it gives it a little tartness.  Sooo good.  I want one so bad right now I am thisclose to getting my tired bones of the couch and hauling myself into the kitchen to make some (Don't you think there should be some kind of service that brings amazingly good right out of the oven desserts to dead tired mommies with aching bones after they put their babies to bed for the night?  I just really want someone to knock on my door with a platter and ask me which dessert I would prefer this night.  And I don't even have to remove my feet from the ottoman.  Maybe they could also provide a killer foot massage...).

Method:

1 3/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 C plus 3 T sugar; more for sprinkling
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 C heavy cream; more for brushing
2 t vanilla extract
1 qt (about 1 lb) small ripe fresh strawberries, hulled
1/2 C sour cream
2 T confectioners sugar

Heat oven to 425.  Grease 9x13.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, 3 T sugar, baking powder and salt.

In another large bowl, beat 1 cup of the cream until soft peaks form.  Beat in vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, add the whipped cream, and stir with a fork just until the mixture begins to hold together as dough.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until well combined, about six times.  Pat the dough until it's about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut out a total of six rounds with a 3 inch biscuit cutter.  Lightly brush the tops of the rounds with cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Arrange the biscuits on the baking sheet.  Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 min.  Transfer to a rack and let cool.

Increase the oven temp to 450.  Meanwhile, toss the strawberries in a bowl with the remaining 1/2 C granulated sugar.  Transfer to a 9x13.  Roast the berries, stirring every 5 minutes, until they're soft and fragrant, about 15 min total.  This part smells sooo good!

To serve, whip the remaining 1/2 C cream with the sour cream and confectioners sugar until it holds soft peaks.  Split each biscuit with a fork, spoon in strawberries and cream.



And here's a picture of Paigey Baby in my aunt's sink, for good measure.  We had her for dessert too:)