Vegan Strawberry Shortcake

July 14, 2019

#Recipe #Foody

There are few things better in life than a basket of freshly picked Ontario strawberries. Oh wait, yes there are, freshly picked Ontario strawberries with a cloud of coconut cream layered between homemade vegan shortcakes. Insert drooling here. Strawberry shortcakes have always been one of my favourite summer treats, so I have no idea why it took me so long to veganize this recipe, but I’m so glad I finally did. These vegan strawberry shortcakes taste just like the traditional recipe, except even better!

Vegan strawberry shortcakes look so gorgeous and fancy but they are actually super easy to make. The biscuit dough can easily be whipped up in a food processor, or if you don’t have one they can be made by hand with just a bowl and a fork.

Another bonus about this recipe is that everything can be made ahead of time. The biscuits can be made 2 – 3 days in advance and kept in an air-tight container in the fridge, or you can even freeze them. The coconut whipped cream and strawberries can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. So when you are ready to serve the vegan strawberry shortcakes, you just cut the biscuits in half, and layer them up with all the toppings. Totally simple and totally delicious.

To make vegan strawberry shortcake you can choose to either use a food processor or to mix by hand.

If you are using a food processor: add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse a few times to whisk. Add the cold vegan butter and pulse several times until the flour mixture looks crumbly.

If mixing by hand: in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the vegan butter into small cubes, and scatter them over the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the flour until you reach crumb texture.

Then…

If using a food processor: mix together the non-dairy milk and lemon juice, then pour over the flour mixture. Pulse just 3 – 4 times to mix until the dough is shaggy and there are still lots of crumbs. Be careful not to over mix the dough.

If mixing by hand: cut the vegan butter into small cubes, and scatter them over the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the flour until you reach crumb texture. Mix together the non-dairy milk and lemon juice, then pour over the flour mixture. Gently mix until you have a shaggy dough with lots of crumbs, don’t over mix, it should look quite loose.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. The dough will be soft, wet, and crumbly. Gather and gently pat the dough together and flatten to about 3/4″ thick. Do not roll it into a ball or knead it, you just need to gently pat it into shape. Use a large circle cutter to cut the dough into rounds, reforming the scraps to make 6 biscuits. Tip: don’t twist the cutter, this will hinder the dough from rising properly. You could alternatively, use a knife to cut the dough into squares, or just gently form the biscuits by hand.

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 14 – 16 minutes until slightly risen and lightly golden. Let cool.

To prepare the strawberries: gently stir the strawberries with sugar in a medium bowl. Allow the strawberries to rest for 10 – 20 minutes, or even overnight in the fridge so they release their juices.

Make the vegan coconut whipped cream according to my recipe. If you like a lot of whipped cream you may want to double the recipe. Alternatively, these days a lot of grocery stores carry pre-made vegan whipped cream if you want to save yourself a step.

To assemble the vegan strawberry shortcakes: carefully slice the cooled biscuits in half. Place the bottom half on a plate, top with strawberries, a dollop of coconut whipped cream, the remaining half of the biscuit, topped with more strawberries and a final dollop of coconut whipped cream. Serve right away.

Bon appetegan!

Sam.

Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes

Easy to make, and can even be prepared ahead of time. Fresh juicy strawberries with a cloud of coconut cream layered between homemade vegan shortcakes. The perfect summer dessert.

For the vegan shortcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold vegan butter
1/2 cup non-dairy milk ((such as soy or almond))
1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the toppings:

4 cups strawberries, (stems removed and sliced)
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 recipe Vegan Coconut Whipped Cream ((or sub store-bought vegan whipped cream) see notes)

Preheat your oven to 425F (220C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
If using a food processor: add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse a few times to whisk. Add the cold vegan butter and pulse several times until the flour mixture looks crumbly. Mix together the non-dairy milk and lemon juice, then pour over the flour mixture. Pulse just 3 – 4 times to mix until the dough is shaggy and there are still lots of crumbs. Be careful not to over mix the dough.
If mixing by hand: in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the vegan butter into small cubes, and scatter them over the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the flour until you reach crumb texture. Mix together the non-dairy milk and lemon juice, then pour over the flour mixture. Gently mix until you have a shaggy dough with lots of crumbs, don't over mix, it should look quite loose.
Form the biscuits: turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. The dough will be soft, wet, and crumbly. Gather and gently pat the dough together and flatten to about 3/4" thick. Do not roll it into a ball or knead it, you just need to gently pat it into shape. Use a large circle cutter to cut the dough into rounds, reforming the scraps to make 6 biscuits. Tip: don't twist the cutter, this will hinder the dough from rising properly. You could alternatively, use a knife to cut the dough into squares, or just gently form the biscuits by hand. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 14 – 16 minutes until slightly risen and lightly golden. Let cool.
To prepare the strawberries: gently stir the strawberries with sugar in a medium bowl. Allow the strawberries to rest for 10 – 20 minutes, or even overnight in the fridge so they release their juices.
To assemble the vegan strawberry shortcakes: carefully slice the cooled biscuits in half. Place the bottom half on a plate, top with strawberries, a dollop of coconut whipped cream, the remaining half of the biscuit, topped with more strawberries and a final dollop of coconut whipped cream. Server right away.

The biscuits can be made 2 – 3 days in advance and kept in an air-tight container in the fridge, or you can even freeze them. The coconut whipped cream and strawberries can be prepared up to 1 day in advance.