Strawberry Shortcake Bars – Dessert for Two

Nothing says spring like native, ripe berries on high of cookie crust with cream cheese frosting. These strawberry shortcake bars function a simple pat-in-the-pan shortbread crust; no rolling pin vital. We’ll unfold the fluffiest whipped cream cheese frosting on high of the crust, after which high it with juicy strawberries which were marinated with sugar with Pimm’s.

I can really feel spring coming, cannot you? Granted, I stay close to the coast and the excellence between the seasons is rather more nuanced than I am used to. Nevertheless, we all know the seasons by the fruit and greens which can be ripe and prepared!

I am trying ahead to springtime contemporary berries, as a result of I’ve a sense they will be so good this yr. And I am not simply speaking about strawberries–I am right here for the blackberries, too! In spite of everything, making blackberry cupcakes with blackberry buttercream is one of the best use of them!

Blackberry cheesecake brownies will probably be taking place commonly, and so life will probably be so scrumptious. Let’s get again to strawberries, although!

If you happen to love strawberry desserts, you’ll love these strawberry shortcake bars as a result of the addition of Pimm’s is so uncommon and so scrumptious! Additionally, in case you’ve made my mini strawberry cheesecakes, you need to make these strawberry shortcake bars subsequent.

When you have leftover frozen berries after making my strawberry milk, you possibly can completely use them right here, simply thaw and drain earlier than marinating. I additionally need to add that in case you’re baking for Valentine’s Day, use the strategy from my strawberry muffins to form the berries into hearts for topping.

How you can Make Strawberry Shortcake Bars:

I make a shortbread base in a bread loaf pan, high it with a thick layer of sweetened cream cheese, and place the prettiest little strawberries on high that I soaked in Pimm’s. Have you ever had Pimm’s? It is this fruity, herby drink that goes nice with summertime. I prefer to muddle strawberries with Pimm’s in cocktails, so I added it to my bowl of strawberries on a whim. As evident by the extreme finger licking throughout the meeting of the dessert, I can attest it was not a foul selection.

I make these small batch strawberry shortcake bars in a bread loaf to pan to make 2 beneficiant (or 4 regular) servings. That is the precise loaf pan that I take advantage of and love.

The Elements

• Butter. When making shortbread, it accommodates such few elements. Which means that every ingredient must be of the best high quality, particularly butter. I really like utilizing a European-style butter with a barely increased proportion of fats. A grass-fed butter that’s tremendous golden yellow could be scrumptious, too. Nevertheless, please know that I check my recipes with elements of all value factors, and common grocery-store model butter works for these strawberry shortcake bars, too.
• Powdered Sugar. We at all times make shortbread with powdered sugar as a result of it accommodates a small quantity of cornstarch, which makes the crust delicate and crumbly. You may even see it labeled ‘confectioner’s sugar’ or ’10x sugar.’
• Flour. All-purpose flour that has been fluffed with a measuring cup, scooped generously into the cup, and leveled with a knife.
• Salt.
• Cream Cheese. Make sure to slice your cream cheese and depart it at room temperature for about an hour to melt totally earlier than trying to whip it for the frosting. In any other case, it include lumps which can be almost not possible to take away.
• Strawberries. Recent, native, tremendous ripe berries are my first selection for these strawberry shortcake bars. Nevertheless, if its winter, you should utilize frozen berries that you simply first defrost totally at room temperature after which drain. It is essential to empty off the surplus liquid in order that the berries can correctly marinate in sugar and Pimm’s.
• Pimm’s Liquor. That is completely optionally available, however this gin-based liquor that errs on the facet of bitter and floral is so good with strawberries. You’ll be able to omit or use any of the substitutions listed beneath.

The Directions

1. First, make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit, and line a 9-inch bread loaf pan with parchment paper in a single course.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the butter, powdered sugar, flour and salt. Work the butter into the dough utilizing a pastry blender, two knives, or your finger suggestions. The butter must be well-incorporated and the dimensions of rice grains.
3. Flour your fingertips to stopping sticking, after which press the dough into the bread loaf pan. Press it to the entire edges right into a flat even layer.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, till aromatic and golden brown across the edges. Let it cool utterly within the pan on a wire rack. As soon as cool, gently run a knife across the uncovered edges to launch it, after which use the parchment paper to carry out the crust. Place it on a flat floor.
5. Subsequent, make the cream cheese half: utilizing an electrical mixer, beat collectively the cream cheese, ½ cup of the powdered sugar and 1 ½ tablespoons of the Pimm’s in a small bowl.
6. In the meantime, hull and slice the strawberries. Toss in a bowl with the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons Pimm’s and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar. Let marinate for not less than quarter-hour or as much as 1 hour.
7. To serve, unfold the cream cheese combination on high of the shortbread crust and high with the macerated berries.

Strawberry Shortcake Bars Variations

• Alcohol: Pimm’s may be laborious to seek out, if you do not have a well-stocked retailer close to you, so attempt flavored vodka or gin as a replacement.
• Alcohol-Free: To skip booze (or if you do not have Pimm’s), use ½ teaspoon of contemporary orange zest as a replacement.
• Cream Cheese: You’ll be able to add orange zest, vanilla bean, or lemon zest to the whipped cream. cheese frosting to barely alter the flavors of those strawberry shortcake bars.

Storage:

These strawberry shortcake bars should be saved within the fridge as a result of they include cream cheese within the frosting. I do not suggest making them too far upfront, as a result of the strawberries will proceed to launch extra juice as they relaxation, making the crust soggy over time.

If you happen to should make them upfront, preserve the frosting separate from the crust, and add the berries simply earlier than serving. You’ll be able to freeze the crust in a freezer storage container for as much as 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for about 4-6 hours.