Recipes Strawberry Shortcakes with Meyer Lemon Cream 5.0 (3,665) 1 Review Light and airy strawberry shortcakes layered with lemon curd-infused whipped cream and macerated strawberries make this a practically perfect summer treat. By Michelle Polzine Michelle Polzine Michelle Polzine is a James Beard Award-nominated pastry chef and author of the acclaimed cookbook Baking at the 20th Century Cafe, which celebrates the iconic desserts she made famous at her Eastern European-style bakery/cafe in San Francisco. Polzine is known for her Linzer Torte and statuesque signature Russian Honey Cake. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 4, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © James Baigrie Active Time: 40 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins Yield: 6 Jump to recipe 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. The combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour she 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. Ingredients Biscuits 1 ½ cups 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting ¾ cup 3/4 cup cake flour 3 tablespoons 3 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter 1 cup 1 cup heavy cream 1 ½ tablespoons 1 1/2 tablespoons turbinado sugar Lemon Cream 1 tablespoon Finely grated zest of 1 lemon ¼ cup 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, preferably from Meyer lemons 2 ½ tablespoons 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar 1 egg 1 large egg 1 yolk 1 large egg yolk 1 pinch Pinch of salt 3 tablespoons 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup 1 cup heavy cream Strawberries 2 pints 2 pints strawberries, quartered 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons sugar Directions Preheat the oven to 375°. 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. 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. 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. 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. In a medium bowl, softly whip the cream. Fold the lemon curd into the whipped cream and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the sugar and let stand for 15 minutes. 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. 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 2 days. The lemon cream can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours. Rate it Print