Champagne Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
For the Shortcakes:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup Champagne or sparkling wine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Champagne-Infused Strawberries:
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/2 tsp champagne vinegar
- Lemon zest
- 1/4 cup Champagne or sparkling wine
- 2 tablespoons sugar
For the Champagne Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons Champagne or sparkling wine
Instructions:
For the Shortcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, mix together milk, Champagne, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently pat it into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Use a round biscuit cutter to cut out shortcakes.
- Place the shortcakes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow them to cool completely.
For the Champagne-Infused Strawberries:
- In a bowl, combine sliced strawberries with Champagne, lemon zest, champagne vinegar and sugar. Toss gently to coat the strawberries and let them macerate for at least 30 minutes.
For the Champagne Whipped Cream:
- In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Add powdered sugar and Champagne, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
Assembling:
- Slice the cooled shortcakes in half horizontally.
- Spoon a generous dollop of Champagne whipped cream onto the bottom half of each shortcake.
- Top the whipped cream with a spoonful of Champagne-infused strawberries.
- Place the other half of the shortcake on top and garnish with additional Champagne-infused strawberries.
- Finish with a drizzle of the Champagne syrup from the macerated strawberries.