Our Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Is Low FODMAP!
I am a huge strawberry shortcake fan and apparently I am not the only one. When I was working on my book, The Low-FODMAP Diet Step by Step, I conducted an online poll of favorite desserts and strawberry shortcake came out as #1!
The combination of juicy, sweet fruit with rich, tender biscuits spells Summer for me; they are perfect for fourth of July get-togethers!
Now I know that sometimes “strawberry shortcake” can take the form of actual cake, like a sponge cake or some sort, but to me the classic rich biscuit is the way to go.
Let’s Talk Buttermilk Biscuits
Souring lactose-free milk with a little lemon juice provides the right amount of tang for an easy biscuit; this is our low FODMAP version of purchased buttermilk.
You can make the biscuits by hand and after they are baked, they are split.
I like to use a fork to split them, instead of a knife. Just like when you separate an English muffin with a fork to create nooks and crannies to hold melted butter, in this instance the nooks and crannies are better at holding and soaking up all the berry juices.
Strawberries, Strawberries & More Strawberries
Strawberries contain no detectable FODMAPs, which is one reason we love to use them in cooking and just for plain eating out of hand.
To maximize their flavor and color for this version of Strawberry Shortcakes I like to cook part of the amount of berries with a little sugar, cool the mixture, then folds in more fresh berries.
This maximizes the juiciness and flavor.
Classic whipped cream finishes this off – it is low FODMAP in incredibly generous portions of ½ cup (120 ml) servings! This amount is low enough in lactose to be considered low FODMAP.
Strawberry Shortcakes with Buttermilk Biscuits
Our Strawberry Shortcakes with Buttermilk Biscuits are low FODMAP and just as amazing as the classic American dessert your Grandma made - only ours won't upset your tummy!
Ingredients:
Biscuits:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) lactose-free whole milk, chilled
- 11/2 teaspoons lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
- 1 large egg, chilled
- 1 1/2 cups (218 g) low FODMAP gluten free all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder; use gluten-free if following a gluten-free diet
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 113 g) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into pieces
Strawberry Filling:
- 1 quart (590 g) strawberries, preferably small to medium sized, divided
- 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream, preferably lactose-free, chilled
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Preparation:
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For the Shortcakes: Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper; set aside.
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In a small bowl combine the milk and lemon juice and allow to sit for 5 minutes to thicken, then whisk in egg; set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to aerate and combine. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the butter ranges in size from large flat raisins to small peas. (You can also do this in a stand mixer with the flat paddle attachment, pulsing on and off).
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Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and gently bring together by stirring with a wooden spoon just until combined. Very gently pat out the dough on a very lightly floured surface to a 7 by 4 inch (17 cm by 10 cm) rectangle. Cut into 8 equal pieces then gently use your hands to shape each piece into a round biscuit about ¾ to 1 inch (2 cm to 2.5 cm) thick. Arrange the biscuits on the prepared pan, equally spaced apart.
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Bake for about 8 to 12 minutes or until tops and bottoms are just tinged with color and biscuit is baked all the way through. Place pan on a cooling rack until biscuits are completely cool, at which point they are ready to use. Alternatively, store at room temperature for up to 8 hours, loosely wrapped in foil.
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For the Filling: Remove the stems from the strawberries and discard. Roughly chop half of them and combine with 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a saucepan. Stir well to combine and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the fruit is bubbling and juicy, about 5 minutes. The juices should darken and concentrate. Cool completely. Halve or quarter the remaining berries (depending on size, you might even want to slice them; they should be bite size). Toss these raw berries with the remaining sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl and allow to sit, stirring occasionally, until the juices exude and the sugar dissolves, about 15 minutes. Fold the two berry mixtures together. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 hours in an airtight container.
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For the Assembly: Right before serving, combine the cream and sugar for the topping and beat with an electric mixer on high speed just until mixture is visibly thickened, then reduce the speed and continue to whip just until very soft peaks form. Do not over-whip or you will loose the silky texture.
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Pry the shortcakes in half horizontally with a fork. Place the bottom halves, cut side up, on 8 dessert plates or in shallow bowls. Spoon over a good quantity of strawberries and juice, top with a generous dollop of cream, and crown with the top of the biscuit. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes for the juices to penetrate the biscuit. Serve immediately.
Notes:
Tips
- The success of this dessert will depend largely on three things: your technique of making the biscuits to maximize flakiness, the freshness of the berries and your cream beating technique. For the biscuits, do not overwork the dough and make sure the milk, egg and butter are chilled. For the berries, buy the freshest, sweetest you can find - and we suggest that you make this during berry season.
- And lastly, start with fresh cream and do not over beat it. You want it to be silky and smooth for the best mouthfeel. All of these tips might seem trivial or obvious, but if you follow all three you will have one of the best desserts in the world - that just happens to be low FODMAP approved.
- And speaking of cream, you can use conventional heavy cream and the recipe, at the serving sizes recommended, will be low FODMAP, but if you can find lactose-free, feel free to use it. You can also make your own with our DIY directions.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
Dede, would these biscuits be good on their own as well, for say breakfast, tea/coffee, or just as a snack?
These would not be my choice for that use. Try our low FODMAP biscuits for that. You could even add a little more sugar, if you like.
Your recipe states:
“1 1/2 gluten free all-purpose flour”
I believe the missing measurement is “cups”?
Cheers,
Dee
AH DEE! And the grams were missing too! Must have been a victim of cut and paste. All fixed now. THANK YOU! And enjoy this recipe; it is one of my favorites.