Simple Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry shortcake is good any day, any time.  How do I know this?  Well for starters, my husband burst into our home office the other night and randomly and asked me to make it.  At 8PM.  Then he offered to go to the store to get all the ingredients. 

Hey, it's powerful stuff apparently.

But if shortcake is all it takes to make someone happy, I'm OK with that.

Homemade shortcake, right out of the oven... someone should really put a warning label on this.  I'm not kidding when I say this shortcake is basically a giant, sweet biscuit that you can't stop eating.  And why would you want to?

This is so easy and you probably have everything you need to make it right now.  I'm not a bad influence, I swear. 

Start by sifting your dry ingredients.
Pardon my nocturnal photography.

Throw in a half cup of shortening and cut it into your dry ingredients until the mixture becomes crumbly.  I just use my hands.  Now add in 1 beaten egg and up to 1/3 cup milk. You may need less so add the milk slowly and mix lightly with a fork.  I used the whole 1/3 cup.  The dough will be very sticky and should end up looking like this:

Pat it down into your pan.  This recipe makes enough for an 8x8 but it easily doubles for a 9x13. 

Melt a tablespoon or two of unsalted butter and brush the top.  Now sprinkle the top with sugar.

Bake this for about 20 minutes or until just golden brown.  After you put this in the oven, start cleaning your berries.  You want to get some sugar on them and give them some time to get all juicy and do their thing in the fridge before serving.

And before you know it, the shortcake is done!  Let this cool for 5 minutes or so before serving.  It should be warm but not hot.  You can also let it cool completely, if you're equipped with that kind of willpower.

Time to assemble! 

Shortcake, check.

Sweet strawberries, check.

Milk, check.

Spoon, check.

Full belly, check.

Strawberry Shortcake
(Double this recipe for a 9x13 pan)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup shortening
up to 1/3 cup milk
1-2 T. melted butter
More sugar to dust the top
1 quart fresh strawberries - cleaned, sliced, and sweetened to taste
milk or half n half

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Sift all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Cut in shortening with a fork or your hands until mixture is crumbly.  Add in the beaten egg and up to 1/3 cup milk.  (see photo for what the dough should look like) Grease an 8x8 pan very well with shortening.  Pat your dough into the pan with your fingers.  Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle sugar all over the surface.  Bake for 20 minutes or until just golden brown.  Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.  Top with sliced strawberries and milk.  Serve immediately.

I'd like to say this keeps well but a 9x13 pan of this has never lasted more than a few days in my house.  I do not refrigerate this and I keep it well covered.