Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

In 2004 I was introduced to the cooking magazine Bon Appetit, and the following year I requested a subscription for my birthday.  For the next 3 years, I saved every single magazine with high hopes of one day making the recipes that sounded great.  Each time that we've moved (which is a lot), I've gone through my collection and weeded out the ones that I know I'll never make.  Now that I'm blogging, I decided this would be the perfect place to document my tries, so I went through my collection once again and highlighted the ones I want to do.  From time to time I'll be posting the recipes that I try, whether or not we like them.  Hope you enjoy this gourmet journey with me!

Biscuits:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Strawberries:
2 pounds strawberries, hulled, quartered (about 3 1/2 cups)
8 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
1/2 cup chilled sour cream

For Biscuits:  Preheat oven to 400 F.  Line baking sheet with parchment, or lightly grease.  Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl.  Using electric mixer, beat cream and vanilla in medium bowl until firm peaks form.  Stir cream into flour mixture until moist clumps form.  Transfer mixture to lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough forms ball, about 10 turns.  Pat dough out to 3/4 inch thickness.  Using a 3-inch cutter, cut out biscuits.  Gather dough, pat out again, and cut out 6 biscuits.  Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet.  Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

For Strawberries: Stir strawberries, 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, orange juice and orange peel in medium bowl.  Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
     
Using electric mixer, beat chilled whipping cream, sour cream and remaining 2 tablespoons powdered sugar until soft peaks form.  Place one biscuit on each of 6 plates.  Place large spoonful of berries with juices atop biscuits.  Top with whipped cream.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2007

Most of the recipes turn out great, but sometimes there's something I don't quite like about it.  I loved this shortcake recipe, but the orange flavor in the strawberries was a bit much for me.  I think this would be better with the orange juice and peel omitted, and maybe a tad more sugar mixed in with the strawberries.