📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trust me, parchment paper is your best friend here – easy cleanup is always a win!
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make sure everything is evenly distributed. No one wants a mouthful of baking powder!
3. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. The colder the butter, the flakier the shortcakes. I sometimes even freeze my butter for 10 minutes before using it!
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla extract, and orange blossom water. I love the floral hint the orange blossom water adds, but if you don't have it, a little orange zest works wonders too.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix – a few lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing leads to tough shortcakes, and nobody wants that.
6. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. I usually aim for about 6-8 shortcakes, depending on how big you want them. Leave some space between each one.
7. Brush the tops of the shortcakes with a little melted butter or milk. This will give them a beautiful golden-brown color. Pop them into the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Keep a close eye on them – ovens can be unpredictable!
8. While the shortcakes are baking, prepare the strawberries. Wash and hull them, then slice or quarter them depending on their size. Place the strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Gently toss to coat and let them sit for about 15-20 minutes, or until they release their juices. This process, called maceration, intensifies the strawberry flavor and creates a lovely syrup.
9. Once the shortcakes are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. While they are cooling, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip – you want a light and fluffy cream, not butter!
10. To assemble the shortcakes, split each one in half. Spoon a generous amount of strawberries and their juices over the bottom half. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and then place the top half of the shortcake on top. Dust with a little extra powdered sugar, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy every delicious bite!