I suppose I could have just made regular old strawberry shortcake. It probably would have been cheaper, requiring inexpensive whipped cream instead of slightly more expensive and less readily available goat cheese. But just wait until you taste this. You will see. The combination of rich vanilla, brown sugar and black pepper in a flaky, sweet-but-not-too-sweet biscuit, filled with fresh strawberries and a thick smear of creamy soft goat cheese, all drizzled with honey? Way better than regular old strawberry shortcake.

• ingredients
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan and for rolling Pantry
• 2 tbsp brown sugar Pantry
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder Pantry
• 1/2 tsp salt Pantry
• about 12 grinds of black pepper plus more for garnish Pantry
• 8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces $1 for a stick
• 1 cup half-and-half $1 for a pint
• 1 tsp vanilla extract $4 for 4 oz.
• 6 oz. creamy goat cheese at room temperature $3.50
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced $3.50
• honey Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $12

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly flour a baking sheet and set aside.

Mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Cut in butter, using 2 forks (alternatively, this can be done in the food processor).
In a separate bowl, beat together the half-and-half and the vanilla. Stir into the flour-butter mixture until a sticky dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and use your floured hands to pat the dough out until it is 1” thick. Use a biscuit cutter or small glass to cut 4” rounds, re-rolling scraps until all the dough is used up.

Arrange the rounds on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly browned.

To serve, use a fork to gently split a biscuit in half (you want there to be nooks and crannies, so a fork works better than cutting with a serrated knife). Spread the insides of both halves generously with goat cheese. Pile the bottom half of the biscuit with sliced strawberries, drizzle with honey and top with more black pepper. Top with the second biscuit half. Repeat with however many biscuits you want to serve. Biscuits will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Serves 3-5.