Method

• Cut the stems away from the strawberries and discard. Cut the strawberries in half, and then in either quarters or thick slices.
• Put the cut strawberries into a large bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Start with ¼ cup of sugar and then add up to another ¼ cup depending on how sweet your strawberries are. Gently stir the strawberries until they are all coated with some sugar. Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, until the berries soften and begin to release their juices.
• After 20 minutes or so, mash about a quarter of the berries in the bowl with a potato masher and stir to mix.
• In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together 3 cups of the flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Cut the butter into the flour mixture, either using your fingers, a pastry cutter, a fork, or a food processor, until the largest pieces of butter are the size of peas.
• Stir together the milk and cream and add the vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the milk mixture into it. Mix with a fork or wooden spoon until the mixture is just combined. It should look rather shaggy. If it is too wet to work with, sprinkle some of the remaining ¼ cup of flour over it. Gently knead by hand a few times to form a loose ball of dough, adding more flour if needed.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and form it into an 8-inch square, about ¾-inch to an inch thick. Place it on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
• Remove the dough from refrigerator. Cut the dough into 9 even squares and space them about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheet. Bake until the biscuits are medium golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
• While the biscuits are baking, whip the cream using an electric mixer, adding a drop or two of vanilla and 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar. Cover with plastic and place in the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.
• Split the biscuits, if you like, and top with the macerated strawberries and whipped cream.