Shortcake Biscuits, Gluten-Free (including recipe for Strawberry Shortcake)

-adapted from Little Cakes From the Whimsical Bakehouse

-makes about 13- 4" biscuits

Special Equipment Needed

-if you have a food processor, it's nice to use for the initial cutting together of the ingredients, but one is not necessary

-a cookie or biscuit cutter--choose one(s) that are around 3-4 inches across

Ingredients

2 1/2 C Jeanne's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix

4 tsp aluminum-free, double-acting baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 C brown sugar (I like to use dark brown), firmly packed

5 oz (1 1/4 sticks, 10 TBL) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

3/4 C cold milk

extra tapioca flour for your work surface

extra milk and granulated sugar for top of biscuits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor (or in a large bowl) pulse (or mix) together the flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar until just combined. Add the butter, pulse (or squish in with fingers) until the mixture looks like sand mixed with pea-sized bits of dough.

Transfer to a bowl (or keep in the large bowl) and add the milk. Mix until just combined. Use your hands to do the final mix. If the mixture seems too dry (i.e., isn't holding together), add more milk in TBL increments. I usually need only about 1 TBL extra. Bring the dough together into a disk.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Carefully roll out the dough until it is 1/2" to 3/4" thick. Any thinner and your biscuits will be a bit on the thin side. Any thicker and it will be difficult to bake them all the way through. Dip your cutter in tapioca flour and cut out your biscuits. I use a heart cutter that is 4" across the top of the heart--from "hump" to "hump."

Note: in order to allow your biscuits to rise to their fullest and flakiest potential, you must cut with a straight up and down motion--no twisting or jiggling. If you twist or jiggle the cutter, you will squish the layers together and they won't rise as much. Dip your cutter into the tapioca flour before each cut. Re-roll and cut until you've used all the dough.

Transfer your biscuits to the prepared baking sheet, with about an inch between each. Brush the tops of each biscuit with a little milk and sprinkle each with some granulated sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes--until lightly golden on the top.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Like any biscuit, these are at their lightest and flakiest the day you make them.

To make Strawberry Shortcake:

Ingredients:

1 pint (2 C) fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced

2 TBL granulated sugar

Whipped cream, sweetened or unsweetened (I like to make my own unsweetened)

In a medium bowl, mix together the strawberries and sugar and place on the counter at room temperature to let the juices form. I usually do this before I make the biscuits.

Once the biscuits are cooled, get your strawberries and whipped cream ready. Carefully slice a biscuit in half horizontally. Place the bottom half on a plate. Pile some strawberries and their juice on top of the half. Place the top half of the biscuit on the strawberries. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top of this. Voila-springtime on a plate!

Enjoy!