Prepare the Oven and Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the 250g plain flour, 50g caster sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized lumps of butter remaining. This is key for a tender texture.

Form the Dough: In a separate small jug, mix the 175ml double cream and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Pour this into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until a soft, slightly shaggy dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.

Shape and Bake the Shortcakes: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it 2-3 times just to bring it together. Pat it out to a thickness of about 2cm (¾ inch). Use a 6cm round cutter to cut out biscuits, re-shaping the scraps once. You should get about 8-10 biscuits. Place them on the prepared baking tray, brush the tops with a little extra cream, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until risen and golden brown on top.

Cool the Shortcakes: Once baked, transfer the shortcakes to a wire rack to cool completely. A warm shortcake will melt the cream, so this step is important.

Macerate the Strawberries: While the shortcakes are cooling, place your quartered strawberries in a medium bowl. Sprinkle over the 50g of caster sugar and the 1 tsp vanilla bean paste. Stir gently to combine and set aside for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. The sugar will draw out the natural juices, creating a delicious syrup.

Whip the Cream: In a large, chilled bowl, pour in the 400ml of cold double cream. Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cream on a medium speed. When it starts to thicken, sift in the 30g of icing sugar and add the 1 tsp of vanilla bean paste. Continue to beat until soft, pillowy peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip it into butter! I find that stopping just when the whisk leaves a clear trail is perfect. For a deeper dive into technique, this guide on how to whip cream correctly is very helpful.

Assemble the Trifles: Crumble one cooled shortcake into the bottom of each of your 6 serving glasses or trifle dishes. Top with a generous spoonful of the strawberry mixture, making sure to include some of that lovely syrup. Add a large dollop or pipe a layer of the whipped cream. Repeat the layers once more, finishing with a final swirl of cream. Garnish with a slice of fresh strawberry or a mint leaf before serving.