Strawberry shortcakes

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and 3 tbsp of the sugar in a large bowl. Coarsely grate the butter into the dry ingredients and use your fingertips to crumble into the flour. In a separate bowl, whisk the whole egg into the cream and pour into the flour a little at a time, mixing quickly with a fork until the dough comes together (you may not need all of the cream).
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out to about 2cm thick. Use a floured 6.5cm cutter to cut out 8 rounds, re-rolling the dough if necessary.
3. Place the shortcakes about 2.5cm apart on a lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg white and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp of caster sugar.
4. Bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes, until risen and golden brown, then remove and set aside to cool a little on a wire rack. Meanwhile, crush half the strawberries with the sugar and balsamic Split each shortcake across the middle and cover the base with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche, a spoonful of the crushed strawberry mixture and a few halved or quartered strawberries, then set the tops back on loosely and serve while the shortcakes are still warm.

Extracted from How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson. Published by Chatto & Windus at £17.99. Copyright © Nigella Lawson 2000. Photographs copyright © Petrina Tinslay 2000.