Strawberry Shortcakes

Makes 6 shortcakes

1½       cups cake flour, plus more for shaping

1          tablespoon granulated sugar

2¼        teaspoons baking powder

½          teaspoon sea salt

2          tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

1          cup heavy cream, cold

Egg wash:

1          large egg plus 1 teaspoon water, whisked together

Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

1          cup strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

Whipped cream:

Makes ¾ cup

½         cup heavy cream

¼          teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2          tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

             pinch sea salt

             strawberry Jam

1. Prepare the biscuits. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well to fully combine. Add the butter. Using either clean hands or a dough blender, mix the butter cubes into the dry ingredients, breaking them up as you mix, until the butter is fully coated and evenly distributed. Once the butter pieces are pea-size, add the cream and gently mix until just combined – some dry parts are OK.
2. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and lightly dust the top with additional flour. With floured hands, gently form the dough into a ½-inch-thick 11×6-inch rectangle.
3. Take one side of the dough and fold it toward the center, in thirds, and then the opposite side folded over that (like folding a letter to put into an envelope). Dust the top lightly with flour, turn 180 degrees, and then repeat the folding and turning process 2 additional times (this is what helps to create the lovely layers notable in biscuits).
4. Gently press the dough 1 inch thick (shape does not matter). Using a well-floured 3-inch round cutter, cut out 6 biscuits. You can choose to re-form the scraps to make additional biscuits, but know that they will not be as perfectly uniform as the first cut biscuits (but still delicious!). Gently place the biscuits 1 inch apart on the baking pan.
5. Gently brush the top of each biscuit with the egg wash, and sprinkle each with a pinch of the turbinado sugar.
6. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F on Bake, and set the timer to 15 minutes. After about 5 minutes, put the pan of biscuits into the oven and bake until golden on the top and edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
7. While the biscuits are cooling, prepare the filling and toppings.
8. Prepare the whipped cream. Put the cold heavy cream, vanilla, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or a whisk, whip until the cream is nicely thickened but still spoonable.
9. Once the biscuits are cool, slice each in half. Spread the bottom half with strawberry jam, then top with the whipped cream, and then sliced strawberries. Top with the other half of the biscuit. Repeat with remaining biscuits. Serve immediately.

.