Jane Madsen's Super Simple Homemade Strawberry Shortcakes (Family)

Fresh berries on a fluffy buttermilk biscuit
make a delicious old fashioned shortcake
like Grandma Jane made every 4th of July.

Ingredients:
6 - 7 cups fresh strawberries, stemmed & quartered
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
coarse sugar for dusting biscuit tops
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar
1 envelope Dr. Oetker "Whip It"*
fresh whole strawberries for garnish (optional)
1 cup fresh blueberries for garnish (optional)

*Whip It is a German product that "stabilizes" whipped cream and helps it hold its shape. It can be purchased at World Market, international grocery stores or online. 

Method:
Place the strawberries in a large bowl and sprinkle the 1/4 cup sugar over the top. Gently stir to mix, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 
Preheat oven to 450*. Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or two knives. With fingers continue to mix shortening into flour mixture until it resembles the consistency of crumbs. Combine buttermilk and egg. Add all at once to dry ingredients and mix just until the ingredients are combined. (Over mixing will create a tough biscuit.) Knead and roll out on a well floured surface to a thickness of 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Cut with a 3 to 4 inch cutter. (Do not twist the cutter, because that seals the edges and causes the biscuits not to rise as high.) Place the biscuits on an ungreased, or parchment lined, baking sheet so that the sides are touching.  Brush the tops of the biscuits with the 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake for about 10 minutes.   Makes 9 - 12 giant biscuits. 
Place the 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, vanilla, sugar and Whip It into a bowl and beat until soft peaks form and hold their shape. Slice the biscuits in half. Spoon sliced berries and whipped cream on top of the bottom half. Top with biscuit top. Garnish with more whipped cream and 1 or 2 whole strawberries. For the 4th of July you can add an additional garnish of fresh blueberries. Serve immediately.

Notes:
If desired, the biscuits can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of serving, and stored in an airtight container, at room temperature. The strawberries and whipped cream can be prepared 1 day before serving and stored in the refrigerator, too.