Strawberry Shortcake

• Perfect Shortcake
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 pints red, ripe strawberries, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Mint or lemon balm sprigs, for garnish

1. Prepare the shortcake.
2. While it bakes, prepare the strawberries.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice and sugar.
4. With a sharp paring knife, trim the green crown from each strawberry, removing as little fruit as possible.
5. Cut the strawberries in half lengthwise and drop them as they are sliced into the mixture of lemon juice and sugar.
6. Toss the strawberries lightly in this syrup and allow to stand while cream is whipped.
7. In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the cream with a wire whisk just until it begins to hold soli: peaks.
8. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and stir them just until they disappear.
9. Do nor overwhip, or the cream will be grainy.
10. Transfer the whipped cream to a self-sealing food storage bag and cut 1 inch off one corner of the bag to form an impromptu pastry bag.
11. Cut each shortcake in half horizontally, then pile the prepared berries onto the bottom halves of the shortcakes.
12. Pipe a dollop of whipped cream on top of the berries, then replace the top layer of shortbread at a jaunty angle.
13. Tuck a sprig of mint or lemon balm at the intersection of the berries and shortcake.
14. Serve at once.

freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar, pints red, whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon balm sprigs

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/strawberry-shortcake-4 (may not work)