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TL; DR: 

  • Ina Garten’s serves strawberry shortcakes in martini glasses for a variation on the classic dessert.
  • The Barefoot Contessa deconstructs each element of the dish, serving strawberries and whipped cream in martini glasses with biscuits on the side.
  • Ina Garten’s deconstructed strawberry shortcake recipe averages five stars. 

Ina Garten went viral thanks to a giant martini glass so it’s only fitting she use one to put a spin on strawberry shortcake. The Food Network star takes the summer dessert apart, serving strawberries and whipped cream in martini glasses alongside sweet biscuits. 

Ina Garten makes deconstructed strawberry shortcakes special with martini glasses

Featured in the “Dare to be Different” episode of Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa, Garten’s deconstructed strawberry shortcakes are just that, different. Similar to many of her other recipes, she takes a popular dish and makes it more modern and somewhat unexpected.  

And, of course, there’s still everything that it makes strawberry shortcake. “Strawberries, shortcake, and whipped cream — I mean, what’s not to love?” Garten said on Barefoot Contessa. 

“It’s always fun to do something in a very different way,” she explained. With this particular dish, Garten takes inspiration from restaurants. In her 2010 Barefoot Contessa cookbook, How Easy Is That?, she shared that she had a similar dessert at New York City’s Taste. So she recreated her own version at home in East Hampton, New York.

How to make Ina Garten’s deconstructed strawberry shortcakes

Garten’s strawberry shortcake recipe takes 40 minutes to make from start to finish, according to Food Network. Per her instructions, the cookbook author begins with the biscuits. 

Garten heats her oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and lines a sheet pan, her most-used kitchen tool, with parchment paper. Then she makes the biscuit dough, being sure to mention in her notes it will be sticky. 

While the biscuits bake, Garten gets to work on the other elements. She preps strawberries, hulling and thinly slicing them. Then she tosses them into a bowl with granulated sugar and some Grand Marnier liqueur. The reason for the liqueur, she explained, is because “it sweetens the strawberries and the orange really is good with it.”

When the biscuits are golden brown and cooled, Garten assembles her deconstructed shortcakes. She divides the strawberries evenly between martini glasses. “Doesn’t a martini glass make everything special?” she asked. 

Next, she tops each one with homemade sweetened whipped cream. Finally, she puts the biscuits on the side 

The Barefoot Contessa dessert averages 5 stars 

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They may not be one of Garten’s most popular desserts, however, the Barefoot Contessa’s deconstructed strawberry shortcakes certainly have fans. At the time of writing, the recipe averages five stars on Food Network’s website.  

“These strawberry shortcakes are the lightest and sweetest that I have ever made, absolutely fabulous,” one person wrote. “I love this recipe! It’s simple and delicious and turns out perfectly every time!” added another. 

“I’ve made a lot of shortcake biscuits in my life, but this one is by FAR the best,” commented another reviewer. 

One highlighted Garten’s use of martini glasses, saying they make for a “show stopper” of a dessert. Another called the shortcakes 10 times better than they anticipated. 

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