Prepare the Strawberries: In a medium bowl, gently combine the quartered strawberries, 40g of caster sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Stir until the sugar begins to dissolve. Set aside at room temperature for at least 20-30 minutes. This process, called maceration, will draw out the natural juices to create a beautiful syrup.

Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, 50g of caster sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, 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 some pea-sized lumps of butter remaining. It’s these larger butter pieces that create the flaky texture.

Form the Dough: Pour in the cold buttermilk. I find that using a fork to gently bring it all together prevents me from overworking the dough. Mix just until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overmix!

Shape the Biscuits: Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it just two or three times to bring it together, then pat it out with your hands to a thickness of about 2cm (just under an inch). Use a 6-7cm round cutter to cut out 6 biscuits. You may need to gently bring the scraps together to get the last one.

Bake the Biscuits: Place the biscuits on the prepared baking tray. Brush the tops with the tablespoon of double cream and sprinkle generously with demerara sugar for a lovely crunch.

Bake to Golden: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the shortcakes are well-risen and a beautiful golden brown on top. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly. They are best served warm.

Whip the Cream: While the biscuits are baking, pour the very cold double cream, icing sugar, and remaining 1 tsp of vanilla into a chilled bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer or by hand until soft, pillowy peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip it into butter!

Assemble and Serve: To serve, carefully split a warm shortcake biscuit in half. Place the bottom half in a bowl, spoon over a generous amount of the juicy strawberries and their syrup, add a large dollop of whipped cream, and finally, place the top half of the biscuit on top. Serve immediately.