Strawberry Jam amd Cream Biscuits

It's strawberry jam time.  They are everywhere; those plump, bright, juicy strawberries.  And what goes better with jam than biscuits?  James Beard's cream biscuit recipe is my favorite.
Every four weeks I host an activity day for girls from my church.  They range in age from 8 years old to 12 years old, and they arrive straight from elementary school on Wednesday afternoons.  I was always so hungry right after school as a child, so I always have a snack for the girls when they come.

Today I made cream biscuits, which they slathered with the jam of their choice, and then we made strawberry freezer jam for them to take home and share with their families.   This project couldn't be easier and it's not too complicated; perfect for a group of young girls as long as there is adequate adult supervision.  And Hey!  Who doesn't want some fresh strawberry jam, just waiting in their freezer or refrigerator for a light, flaky biscuit?  This is the freezer jam I made last fall from the apricot tree in my yard.  Freezer jam tastes as close to fresh fruit as you can get.  It won't "set" as solid as cooked jam but the more liquid quality is more than made up for by the fresh fruit taste.

Cream Biscuits

(makes one dozen)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tablespoons) butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Use an ungreased baking sheet.

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a mixing bowl.  Stir the dry ingredients with a fork to blend and lighten.  Slowly add 1 cup of the cream to the mixture, stirring constantly.  Gather the dough together; when it holds together and feels tender, it is ready to knead.  If the dough seems shaggy and pieces are dry and falling away, then slowly add enough additional cream to make the dough hold together.  Place the dough on a lightly floured board and knead for 1 minute.  Pat the dough into a square that is about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into 12 squares and dip each into the melted butter so all sides are coated.  Place the biscuits 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.  Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly browned.  Serve hot.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

4 cups ripe strawberries

4 cups granulated sugar

1 box Sure-Jell powdered pectin

3/4 c. water

Wash and hull the berries; crush them completely, a few at a time (you should end up with 2 cups).  In a large bowl, mix together the berries and sugar.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Combine pectin and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil; boil one minute, stirring constantly.  Stir hot pectin into the fruit bowl; continue stirring.  Don't worry if sugar is not completely dissolved.  Ladle jam into freezer containers.  Put lids on immediately.  Let stand at room temperature 24 hours or until set.  Refrigerate for a  few weeks or freeze for up to a year.