Strawberry Shortcake with Homemade Shortcake

Usually I buy angel food cake or the little spongecake muffin like thingies to hold my strawberries but I came across this recipe for homemade shortcake and it looked delicious! It came together within 15 minutes. I allowed about 10 minutes for the shortbread to cool down before slicing it in half. My daughter even asked for seconds.

Filling and Topping

1 pt of strawberries hulled and sliced
2 TBSP sugar
1 8oz container heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c powdered sugar

Shortcake:
1/4 c sugar
2  cups self rising flour
1/2 c butter cubed
1/3 c half and half plus a small amount for brushing the tops of the shortcake
1 egg beaten

Pre heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine strawberries with sugar and let sit in the fridge while you make the shortcake. In a medium bowl add the flour and sugar add the cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or fork to incorporate the butter in. Add the egg and half and half.  With a large spoon begin to stir the dough. The dough should have some chunky crumbs in it.

Use your hands to kneed the dough until it makes a ball. Kneed the dough about 8-10 times with your hands. Be sure to flour the rolling pin! I rolled the dough out on plastic wrap with a rolling pin and cut it into 8 pieces. You can also use a biscuit cutter or old tuna can with both ends removed. Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Beat the cream on high speed. Add the vanilla to it and keep mixing for 1-3 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
With a serrated knife cut the shortcake biscuits in half. Layer the whipped cream and strawberries.