Strawberry Shortcakes with Polenta Lemon Biscuits

By CheeseDiva

When you daydream about summer what is the first thing that comes to mind? Strawberry shortcake, duh! Lol…My recipe for these delicious shortcakes are Italian inspired and get a surprise crunch from the polenta and the tangy tartness from lemon. What makes this recipe really easy is the Bisquick mix, I don’t use it that often but it’s a great shortcut for this great summertime treat.  When you are pressed for time and you have a ton of strawberries that you don’t know what to do with and you have people screaming at you for shortcake instead of ice-cream this recipe is a sure thing.  I served this last night for an Italian themed dinner menu as part of a dessert “sampler” plate among a small glass of chocolate gelato with chocolate chip cookie crumbs and a lemon square…believe me, the party guests did not walk away hungry, they rolled away full, like Veronica Blueberry!

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 1 3/4 3/4 cups Bisquick mix
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup yellow polenta
• 1/3 1/3 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup milk
• 1 Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 teaspoon Lemon extract (reserve 1/2 teaspoon for whipping cream)
• 3 3 3 tablespoons Turbinado sugar
• 5 5 5 cups of strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup whipping cream

Details

Adapted from recipeforaparty.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a mixing bowl stir together the Bisquick, polenta and 1/3 cup sugar until well combined. Add the milk, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon extract and stir until combined well.
Drop by large 12 spoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheet or baking sprayed sheet pan.
Sprinkle the top of each one with some Turbinado sugar
Place in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden, set aside and let cool
While biscuits are in the oven, hull and slice the strawberries and stir in ½ cup sugar and place in the refrigerator until ready to use
In a mixing bowl combine the whipping cream and ½ teaspoon of lemon extract and whip until fluffy but somewhat stiff
Cut the biscuits in half lengthwise and spoon some strawberries along with juice over each half, top with whipped cream and then the top half of the biscuit and enjoy this summertime favorite
Makes 12 biscuits, serves 6 to 12