Strawberry Shortcakes with Macerated Strawberries

Savor the unofficial beginning of summer with a traditional summer dessert
Strawberry Shortcakes with Macerated Chocolate Balsamic Strawberries

 Cook's Notes: Recipe adapted from Midwest Living and makes 6-7.

I followed the Chocolate Balsamic Macerated recipe for the strawberry filling. 
Use a serrated knife to slice shortcakes. They can be served open faced or with top on as shown in photo. 
Cooking Tips: Avoid overworking the batter so shortcakes are tender not chewy. 

Shortcake Biscuits Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup cold butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt (I used the yogurt) 
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2-3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Sweetened Whipped Cream 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, the 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and baking soda. Whisk ingredients. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (pea size for butter). Make a well in the center. In a small bowl, stir together egg, sour cream and milk. Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring with a fork just until moistened.
• Drop dough into 7 mounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the strawberries and 2 tablespoons sugar. If desired, mash slightly with a fork or a potato masher. To serve, split shortcakes horizontally. Fill with the whipped cream and sweetened berries.

Macerated Strawberries 

2 cups fresh strawberries and add
2 tablespoons sugar

Macerated Strawberries with Grand Marnier
reduce sugar to 1 tablespoon and add
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

Macerated Strawberries with Citrus Juice
reduce sugar to 1 tablespoon and add
2 tablespoons lemon or orange juice

Macerated Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar

Cook's Notes: Use a high quality dark balsamic vinegar for this recipe. Consider a splurge and purchase Chocolate Balsamic. It's amazing and really elevates the flavor. Recipe is enough filling for 5-6 biscuits or shortcakes.
Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar

the skinny on it...
Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar is rich, thick and resounds with the complexity of three different chocolates responsible for the depth of its flavor. Drizzle over vanilla gelato, mix with fresh berries or add zing to your chicken mole sauce. Make a simple salad of greens, berries, feta or blue cheese with nuts. This balsamic makes a perfect meat marinade, especially wild game.
Chocolate Balsamic Strawberries
Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced strawberries
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons Chocolate Balsamic or another high quality dark balsamic

Directions:

• In a bowl add diced strawberries and stir in sugar. Drizzle in balsamic and mix well. Let strawberries sit for one hour on the counter, uncovered. Stir and use a slotted spoon to serve. Add a dollop of whipped cream for piece de resistance.