For the fruit topping:

• Place 1 ½ cups of the hulled strawberries in a large bowl, and crush them with a potato masher. Slice the remaining 4 ½ cups berries into 4th’s or 5th’s (lengthwise) and stir into the crushed berries along with the sugar. Set the fruit aside to macerate.

For the shortcakes:

• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, pulse the flour, 3 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about fifteen 1-second pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• Mix the beaten egg with ½ cup of heavy cream. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula combine until large clumps begin to form. Turn mixture out onto a floured work surface and lightly knead until dough comes together.
• Shape the dough into a rectangle about ¾ inch thick. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Flour a 2 ¾” biscuit cutter and cut out 6 rounds. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheet.
• Bake until the shortcakes are lightly browned, about 12-14 minutes. Cool cakes on a wire rack. Meanwhile make the whipped cream.

For the whipped cream:

• Place heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer that has been chilled in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds until bubbles start to form. Turn speed up to medium and beat for another 30 seconds. Finally turn up to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.

To assemble:

• When cooled split shortcake in half and place bottom of cake on a serving plate. Top with a dollop of fruit, then whip cream. Top with cake top and serve immediately.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the butter and sweetener, until it's fluffy and light in color.
• Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and blackstrap molasses, if using. Beat in the almond flour, 1/2 cup (118 mL) at a time.
• If using xanthan gum, sprinkle (don't dump) it over the cookie dough, then beat in using the hand mixer.
• Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Use a medium cookie scoop to drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie to about 1/3 in (.8 cm) thick. (You can make them thicker or thinner to your liking. Keep in mind they only spread a little and don't thin out during baking, so make them as thin as you want them when done.)
• Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges are golden. (Time will vary based on your oven and thickness of your cookies.) Allow to cool completely in the pan before handling.