Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Sundaes
Wondering what to make with all those ruby, ripe strawberries filling your garden or local farmer’s market? Look no further than these decadent chocolate strawberry shortcake sundaes!
Chocolate strawberry shortcake sundaes have all the components of the classic you love, but with a chocolate-y twist. Buttery, not-too-sweet shortcakes (chocolate, this time!) are layered around vanilla ice cream with a swirl of homemade, bittersweet hot fudge sauce and fresh strawberries, of course.
Growing up, strawberry shortcake was something we ate at least once every summer. I think it’s a worthy tradition and one that is sure to be carried forward with my family as well, although this spin on a classic is my chocolate and ice cream-loving husband and kids’ favorite. For chocolate strawberry shortcakes more in tune with the original, you can easily whip up some homemade whipped cream and swap it out for the ice cream, or go for ice cream and whipped cream. It is a sundae after all! I include an easy recipe for whipped cream below, in case you’re loyal to the berries and cream combo (I admit, it’s a hard one to stray from!). Here’s how you make them:
Chocolate Shortcakes:
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
2/3 cup buttermilk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely
4 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon of coarse sugar for topping
2 tablespoons milk, for topping
- Place oven rack in lower-middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl with a whisk. This ensures the baking soda and baking powder are well distributed.
- Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until it’s in pea-sized pieces. Gently, stir in the buttermilk with a rubber spatula, until mostly combined and then stir in the chopped chocolate pieces.
- Dump rough dough out onto lightly-floured surface and form into a square, about 6 inches by 6 inches and 1 ½ inches thick.
- Using a serrated knife, score the top to create a grid of 9 shortcakes, “drawing” two lines across length wise and two across width wise.
- Cut your shortcakes with the serrated knife and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the shortcakes with the milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 12-17 minutes, until they’re firm but not burned on the bottom. Cool completely.
Quick & Easy Bittersweet Hot Fudge Sauce:
½ cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup half and half
In a medium saucepan, whisk the cocoa powder, sugar and half-and-half together over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved and sauce is slightly thickened, about 7 minutes, stirring often. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer while cooking. (Can be made and stored in fridge for up to 2 days, and then reheated before serving).
Strawberries:
2 lbs strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Slice the strawberries and place into a medium mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle with the sugar and almond extract and gently stir.
- Let berries sit for about 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours in the fridge) until they release some of their juices.
Homemade Whipped Cream:
1 1/2 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a metal mixing bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until you form soft peaks.
- Serve immediately.
To Assemble Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Sundaes:
- Slice shortcakes in half to create a top and a bottom with a serrated knife.
- Top shortcake bottom with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (have you ever tried Straus vanilla bean ice cream? It’s our favorite!) or homemade whipped cream (or both!), and top with a few tablespoons of chocolate sauce.
- Place a generous serving of the strawberries on top of the chocolate sauce, followed by the shortcake top and another drizzle of hot fudge.
- To make it extra fancy, you can dip a whole strawberry into the chocolate sauce and place it next to the plated dessert.
- Enjoy!
Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Sundaes
Ingredients
Chocolate Shortcakes
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp milk for topping
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar for topping
Quick & Easy Bittersweet Hot Fudge Sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup half and half
Strawberries
- 2 lbs strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
Instructions
Chocolate Shortcakes
- Place oven rack in lower-middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl with a whisk. This ensures the baking soda and baking powder are well distributed.
- Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until it’s in pea-sized pieces. Gently, stir in the buttermilk with a rubber spatula, until mostly combined and then stir in the chopped chocolate pieces.
- Dump rough dough out onto lightly-floured surface and form into a square, about 6 inches by 6 inches and 1 ½ inches thick.
- Using a serrated knife, score the top to create a grid of 9 shortcakes, “drawing” two lines across length wise and two across width wise.
- Cut your shortcakes with the serrated knife and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the shortcakes with the milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 12-17 minutes, until they’re firm but not burned on the bottom. Cool completely.
Quick & Easy Bittersweet Hot Fudge Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk the cocoa powder, sugar and half-and-half together over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved and sauce is slightly thickened, about 7 minutes, stirring often. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer while cooking. (Can be made and stored in fridge for up to 2 days, and then reheated before serving).
Strawberries
- Slice the strawberries and place into a medium mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle with the sugar and almond extract and gently stir.
- Let berries sit for about 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours in the fridge) until they release some of their juices.
To Assemble Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Sundaes:
- Slice shortcakes in half to create a top and a bottom with a serrated knife.
- Top shortcake bottom with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream (or both!), and top with a few tablespoons of chocolate sauce.
- Place a generous serving of the strawberries on top of the chocolate sauce, followed by the shortcake top and another drizzle of hot fudge.
- To make it extra fancy, you can dip a whole strawberry into the chocolate sauce and place it next to the plated dessert.
- Enjoy!
Homemade Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream chilled
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, with a whisk or a whisk attachment, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until you form soft peaks.
- Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for a few hours, until ready to serve.