Limoncello & Sour Cream Strawberry Shortcakes

The past few days have been rain free and sunny here at the Jersey Shore and I couldn't be happier!  It's been cloudy or raining so much lately, it was starting to get depressing.

But yesterday I was actually able to take a nice long walk after work, up to the beach and on the boardwalk.

Yep, you read that right.  The new house that we moved to is like 6 blocks from the beach!

Man, I can't wait for summer to get here.  Seriously.

That is, until it gets really hot and really crowded everywhere, and I get really cranky and say "Man, I can't wait for fall to get here."

See the little baby games my mind likes to play with me?

(P.S. One thing you will never hear me say is, "Man, I can't wait for winter to get here.")

But for now, I'm giddy for summer.  Besides the beach, one of the top things I look forward to when the weather gets warm is strawberries.

What could be better than fresh strawberries and whipped cream?

Well, actually.... strawberries and limoncello whipped cream with lemon sour cream shortcakes is pretty freakin' scrumptious.

What do you love about summer?

Limoncello & Sour Cream Strawberry Shortcakes

Biscuits:

• 1 T. + 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. lemon zest
• 1 C. all purpose or cake flour
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 2 T. cold butter, cut in 4 pieces
• 1/4 C. sour cream
• 2 T. milk
• 1 T. limoncello
• coarse granulated sugar (optional)

Filling:

• 2 C. sliced strawberries
• 1 C. heavy cream
• 1 1/2 t. limoncello
• 1 T. + 1 t. sugar, divided
• 1 t. lemon zest

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and mix with your fingers, rubbing the zest into the sugar, until blended.

Add sugar mixture to remaining dry ingredients (flour thru baking soda) in the bowl of a food processor and place butter on top - pulse until evenly distributed.  (This is the easiest way, but if you do not have a food processor, you can cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two knives, then pick up fingerfuls of the mixture and rub it between your fingers to thoroughly blend the butter into the flour).

Add the milk, sour cream, and limoncello.  Pulse a couple of times to stir (or use a wooden spoon) until mixture forms a ball.  Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead only ten times - do not overwork dough.

Flatten dough into a 3/4 inch rectangle and use a biscuit cutter or glass to cut out 2 1/2 inch rounds.  Sprinkle with coarse granulated sugar if desired.  Place biscuits on ungreased baking sheet, and bake 6-8 minutes, or until biscuits are golden. 

Meanwhile, slice strawberries and toss with 1 t. sugar.  Refrigerate until ready for use.

When biscuits have cooled, make the limoncello whipped cream.  In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, 1 1/2 t. limoncello, 1 T. sugar (use more or less to taste) and 1 t. lemon zest.  Using a hand or stand-mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip until peaks form.

Cut each biscuit in half.  Fill with whipped cream and strawberries as desired and serve.  Makes 4-5 shortcakes.

Biscuit Recipe Adapted from  How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman