Strawberry Shortcake with Buttermilk Biscuits

Method

1. 1Macerate the strawberries. Hull the berries, slice them 5 mm thick, and toss with 60 g of the granulated sugar and the lemon juice. Leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring once, until the fruit looks glossy and a bright red syrup collects in the bowl.
2. 2Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Set the oven to 220°C and line a heavy baking sheet with parchment. Put the flour, remaining 25 g granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a wide bowl, then whisk until no small clumps remain.
3. 3Cut in the cold butter. Cube 100 g of the butter straight from the refrigerator and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until most pieces resemble peas and a few flat flakes remain. Work quickly: visible cold butter creates steam in the oven and gives the biscuits their flaky layers.
4. 4Mix and fold the dough. Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir with a fork just until shaggy clumps form, then turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a 2 cm rectangle, fold it in thirds, rotate, and repeat once; stop while the surface still looks rough so the biscuits stay tender.
5. 5Cut and bake the biscuits. Pat the dough 2.5 cm thick and cut eight 7 cm rounds, pressing straight down without twisting; gather the scraps gently for the last pieces. Place them 4 cm apart, brush the tops with 15 g melted butter, and bake for 15 minutes until tall and deep golden with dry-looking sides, then cool for 10 minutes.
6. 6Whip the cream. Beat the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla at medium speed for 3 minutes until soft peaks bend over when the whisk lifts. Stop before the cream looks grainy; softly whipped cream settles into the biscuit instead of sitting on it like frosting.
7. 7Assemble and serve. Split each warm biscuit with a serrated knife, spoon strawberries and their syrup over the bottom, and add a generous spoonful of cream. Replace the top slightly askew and serve within 10 minutes, while the biscuit edges are still crisp and the center has begun to soak up the juice.