Strawberry Shortcake with Soft Whipped Custard Cream

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 strawberry shortcakes
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes (includes chilling)

Quick Ingredients

• Strawberries: 2 lb (900 g) strawberries, 1/3 cup (67 g) sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, pinch salt
• Biscuits: 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
• Topping: 1 egg + 1 tbsp milk (egg wash), 1 tbsp turbinado sugar (optional)
• Soft whipped custard: 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) whole milk, 4 egg yolks, 1/3 cup (67 g) sugar, 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp (28 g) butter, 2 tsp vanilla, plus 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

Do This

• 1) Cook a quick pastry cream; chill 1 hour.
• 2) Slice strawberries; toss with sugar, lemon, and salt; rest 20–30 minutes.
• 3) Heat oven to 425°F (218°C); mix biscuit dough with cold butter and buttermilk.
• 4) Cut 8 biscuits; brush with egg wash; bake 15 minutes until deeply golden.
• 5) Whip heavy cream to soft peaks; fold into chilled custard for a light, custard-style cream.
• 6) Split warm biscuits; spoon on custard cream and juicy strawberries.
• 7) Serve right away while the biscuits are still slightly warm.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The biscuits are buttery and tender, with crisp golden edges that hold up to juicy berries.
• The topping is a softly whipped custard-style cream: richer than whipped cream, lighter than pastry cream.
• Macerated strawberries create their own syrup, so every bite is bright, jammy, and fresh.
• Great for make-ahead entertaining: prep the custard and berries early, bake biscuits close to serving.

Grocery List

• Produce: 2 lb (900 g) strawberries, 1 lemon (for juice; zest optional)
• Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, whole milk, heavy cream
• Pantry: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cornstarch, fine salt, vanilla extract (or vanilla bean), turbinado sugar (optional)

Full Ingredients

Macerated Strawberries

• 2 lb (900 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 6–7 cups sliced)
• 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)
• 1 pinch fine salt

Soft Whipped Custard (Custard-Style Cream)

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped)
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
• 1 tbsp (8 g) powdered sugar (optional, for slightly sweeter cream)

Buttery Shortcake Biscuits

• 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk

To Finish and Assemble

• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk or cream (for egg wash)
• 1 tbsp turbinado sugar (optional, for a sparkly crunch)
• Extra sliced strawberries for topping (optional)
• Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the pastry cream base

In a medium saucepan, warm the whole milk over medium heat until it’s steaming and tiny bubbles form around the edges (do not boil), about 4–6 minutes.

While the milk warms, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl until smooth and slightly lighter in color, about 30–45 seconds.

Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly (this tempers the eggs). Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling (like pudding), about 2–4 minutes. Once it starts to bubble, keep whisking for 30 seconds to fully cook the starch.

Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla (or vanilla seeds). For the smoothest custard, you can pass it through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl.

Step 2: Chill the custard properly

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard (this prevents a skin). Refrigerate until fully cold, at least 1 hour (and up to 24 hours).

If you’re short on time, spread the custard in a shallow dish to cool faster, then chill.

Step 3: Macerate the strawberries

In a large bowl, toss the sliced strawberries with the granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), and a pinch of salt. Let stand at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

You’ll end up with soft berries and a bright red strawberry syrup in the bowl. If you like more sauce, mash a small handful of berries with a fork.

Step 4: Preheat the oven and prep the pan

Arrange an oven rack in the center. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 5: Mix and shape the biscuit dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and cut them in using a pastry cutter (or rub in with fingertips) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. If there are a few dry bits, press them in; avoid overmixing.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into a rectangle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Fold the dough in half, then pat back to 1 inch thick. Repeat the fold-and-pat once more (this helps create tender layers).

Cut out 8 biscuits using a 2 3/4-inch round cutter. Press straight down (don’t twist) for the tallest rise. Gather scraps and cut additional biscuits as needed.

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet with sides just barely touching for soft sides, or spaced apart for crisper edges.

Step 6: Bake until deeply golden

Whisk the egg with 1 tbsp milk to make an egg wash. Brush a thin layer over the tops of the biscuits. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar if using.

Bake at 425°F (218°C) until risen and deeply golden on top, about 15 minutes. The bottoms should be browned and the centers should feel set.

Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. (Warm biscuits are wonderful for serving, but let them cool slightly so the custard doesn’t melt.)

Step 7: Turn the chilled custard into soft whipped custard cream

In a mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream (and powdered sugar if using) to soft peaks, about 2–4 minutes with a hand mixer on medium-high. Soft peaks should slump gently; stop before it looks stiff or grainy.

Stir the chilled custard to loosen it. Add about one-third of the whipped cream to the custard and stir to lighten. Then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream with a spatula until no streaks remain.

Refrigerate the soft whipped custard while you finish prep, up to 2 hours.

Step 8: Assemble and serve

Split each biscuit in half horizontally. Spoon a generous dollop of soft whipped custard onto the bottom half, then pile on strawberries and plenty of their syrup. Add the top half of the biscuit and finish with another small spoonful of custard and a few berries if you like.

Serve immediately for the best contrast: warm, buttery biscuit; cool, silky custard cream; and juicy strawberries.

Pro Tips

• Keep everything cold for tall biscuits: cold butter and cold buttermilk create steam in the oven and help the biscuits rise.
• Don’t overwork the dough: mix just until it holds together; overmixing makes biscuits tough.
• Strain the custard if needed: even if a few small eggy bits form, a quick pass through a fine-mesh strainer fixes it.
• Soft peaks matter: whip the cream softly so the final custard stays light and spoonable, not dense.
• Assemble right before serving: biscuits will soak up syrup quickly (delicious, but less structured).

Variations

• Brown sugar strawberries: swap the sugar for 1/3 cup (73 g) packed light brown sugar for a deeper, caramel note.
• Orange-vanilla custard: add 1 tsp orange zest to the warm milk, steep 5 minutes off heat, then proceed (strain zest out if you prefer).
• Mixed berry shortcakes: use 1 lb (450 g) strawberries plus 1 lb (450 g) blueberries/blackberries; keep the same sugar and lemon.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Custard: Make the pastry cream up to 24 hours ahead; keep covered with plastic wrap pressed to the surface. Once folded with whipped cream, use within 24 hours for best texture (it will still be safe longer, but slightly looser).

Strawberries: Macerate up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate; bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving for the juiciest flavor.

Biscuits: Best baked the day of. You can bake them up to 8 hours ahead, cool completely, store airtight, then rewarm at 325°F (163°C) for 6–8 minutes. Avoid storing assembled shortcakes; they’ll get soggy.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, per 1 assembled shortcake (1 biscuit + strawberries + custard cream): 520 calories, 28 g fat, 17 g saturated fat, 60 g carbohydrates, 26 g sugar, 8 g protein, 380 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.