Strawberry Cream Shortbread Recipe
Introduction
Strawberry Cream Shortbread is a delightful dessert combining a buttery, golden shortbread crust with a luscious, creamy strawberry filling. Perfect for warm weather or any occasion where you want a fresh, fruity treat.
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (39g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/4 cups (150g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
- 4 cups (454g) strawberries, fresh; plus additional for garnish, if desired
- 2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice
- 3/4 to 1 cup (149g to 198g) granulated sugar, to taste
- 1/3 cup (76g) water, cold
- Two 1/4-ounce packages unflavored gelatin
- 2 cups (454g) heavy cream or whipping cream
- Strawberries, fresh, to garnish
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ square or 9″ round springform pan.
- Step 2: To make the crust: Weigh your flour or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
- Step 3: Put the butter, confectioners’ sugar, salt, flour, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until the dough comes together; this may take up to 2 minutes. If the dough won’t come together, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until it does.
- Step 4: Pat the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan and prick it all over with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300°F and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Remove and let cool completely.
- Step 5: To make the filling: Trim strawberry tops to remove leaves but keep them whole. Place strawberries, lemon juice, and granulated sugar in a food processor or blender.
- Step 6: Place the cold water in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Stir to combine; the mixture will become stiff and jelly-like.
- Step 7: Heat gently in the microwave or on low heat just until the gelatin dissolves and the mixture becomes liquid.
- Step 8: Add the liquefied gelatin to the strawberries in the food processor and blend until puréed.
- Step 9: Refrigerate the purée until thick enough to mound on a spoon, about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even thickening and smooth texture.
- Step 10: Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the thickened strawberry purée into the whipped cream until combined.
- Step 11: Spoon the filling over the cooled crust in the pan and smooth the top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Step 12: When serving, cut into squares or slices and garnish with fresh sliced berries. Store leftovers wrapped well in the refrigerator.
Tips & Variations
- For a stronger strawberry flavor, use slightly riper berries and adjust the sugar according to sweetness preference.
- If you don’t have gelatin, you can substitute with agar-agar powder but follow package instructions for setting.
- Serve chilled for the best texture and flavor.
Storage
Store the strawberry cream shortbread covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat is not recommended, as the texture is best enjoyed cold and fresh.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use frozen strawberries for the filling?
Fresh strawberries are best for texture and flavor, but you can use thawed frozen strawberries if fresh are not available. Just drain any excess liquid to avoid a runny filling.
What if I don’t have a springform pan?
You can use a regular 9″ cake or pie pan. Just be extra careful when removing the dessert, and you might want to line the pan with parchment paper for easier release.
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Strawberry Cream Shortbread Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes chilling time)
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Strawberry Cream Shortbread is a delightful dessert featuring a buttery shortbread crust topped with a luscious, whipped strawberry cream filling. Fresh strawberries are pureed with lemon juice and gelatin to create a smooth, tangy filling that’s folded into stiffly whipped cream. Perfect for a refreshing treat, this no-bake filling paired with a baked shortbread crust offers a wonderful combination of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust
- 10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (39g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/4 cups (150g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
For the Filling
- 4 cups (454g) strawberries, fresh; plus additional for garnish, if desired
- 2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice
- 3/4 to 1 cup (149g to 198g) granulated sugar, to taste
- 1/3 cup (76g) water, cold
- two 1/4-ounce packages unflavored gelatin
- 2 cups (454g) heavy cream or whipping cream
- Strawberries, fresh, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ square or 9″ round springform pan to ensure your crust doesn’t stick during baking.
- Measure the flour: Weigh the flour or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup and leveling off any excess to ensure accuracy for the crust.
- Make the crust dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, salt, flour, and vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed until the dough comes together, which may take up to 2 minutes. If the dough is too dry and doesn’t form a ball, add milk a teaspoon at a time until it does.
- Shape and bake the crust: Pat the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and prick the surface all over with a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and continue baking for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the crust turns golden. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
- Prepare the strawberry filling: Remove the leaves from the strawberries but leave them whole. Place the strawberries, lemon juice, and granulated sugar into a food processor or blender.
- Dissolve the gelatin: Combine the cold water and unflavored gelatin in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Let it sit until it firms and becomes jelly-like.
- Liquefy the gelatin: Warm the gelatin mixture gently in the microwave or over low heat until fully dissolved and liquid.
- Make the strawberry purée: Add the liquefied gelatin to the strawberries in the processor and blend until smooth.
- Chill the purée: Refrigerate the strawberry purée for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes until it thickens enough to mound on a spoon and becomes lump-free.
- Whip the cream: Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, indicating it’s fully whipped.
- Combine purée and cream: Gently fold the thickened strawberry purée into the whipped cream until evenly blended, retaining a light, airy texture.
- Assemble and chill: Spoon the strawberry cream filling over the cooled shortbread crust, smoothing the top. Refrigerate until set and ready to serve.
- Serve: Cut the shortbread into squares or slices, garnish with fresh sliced berries, and serve chilled. Store any leftovers wrapped tightly in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is at room temperature for easier mixing of the crust.
- Adjust the sugar in the strawberry filling to your preferred sweetness.
- Refrigerate the strawberry purée until thick for the best texture in the filling.
- If the crust dough feels too dry, milk can be added cautiously one teaspoon at a time.
- The dessert should be stored refrigerated and consumed within 2-3 days for optimal freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: strawberry shortbread, strawberry cream dessert, summer dessert, whipped cream dessert, shortbread crust, fresh strawberries
