CHARLOTTE – For those who love the taste of spring, few things compare to fresh picked strawberries that you pick off dark green shrubs. Strawberries have been proven to protect your heart, increase you good HDL cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, and guard against cancer. Packed with vitamins, fiber, and particularly high levels of antioxidants known as polyphenols, strawberries are a sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie food.  After choosing the ripest and deepest red berries, you can do so many things to enjoy their flavor. May I suggest a fresh strawberry shortcake that you can enjoy making with little helping hands. This recipe is easy to make and can be a treat for any occasion.
Spring Strawberry Shortcake (serves 6-8)
Prep Time: 20 Minutes | On the Table: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups AP Flour | 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt | 2 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
½ teaspoon Baking Soda | 1 Stick of Unsalted Butter- Chilled and Cubed
¾ cup Buttermilk, Chilled  | 2 Butter- melted
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2-3 Pints of fresh picked Local Strawberries | Juice from 1 Valencia Orange
2 tablespoons Sugar | Zest from 1 Valencia Orange | 1 oz. Triple Sec Liquor (optional)
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1 pint Heavy Cream | ¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract | 3 tablespoon Powdered Sugar
Method:
Wash and quarter the strawberries. In a stainless steel bowl, place your strawberries, juice from 1 orange, zest from the same orange and sugar. Toss lightly and add the Triple Sec (optional), cover and place in your fridge. Next, in a mixing bowl, add your whipping cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat with your hand mixer to stiff peaks. Cover and place in your fridge.
To make the biscuits-  Preheat oven to 410 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 5 minutes.  Make a well in the center of butter and flour mixture. Pour in 3/4 cup buttermilk; stir until just combined. Turn dough onto a floured work surface, pat together into a rectangle.  Fold the rectangle in thirds. Turn dough a half turn, gather any crumbs, and flatten back into a rectangle. Repeat twice more, folding and pressing dough a total of three times. Roll dough on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 12 biscuits using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter. Transfer biscuits to the prepared baking sheet. Press an indent into the top of each biscuit with your thumb. Brush the tops of biscuits with 2 tablespoons buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes. After removing from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes. To serve, cut the biscuit in half, place a dollop of whipped cream in the bottom half, cover with strawberries and cover with the top biscuit. Pour some of the strawberry liquor over the top of the biscuit and sprinkle with powdered sugar. You can garnish with fresh mint as well!!
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Chef Glenn is a corporate chef based in Waxhaw- please send any feedback to chefglenncolumnist@gmail.com
