Orange Drop Strawberry Shortcakes

FOR THE SHORCAKES:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Grease a large baking pan. In a large bowl, mix the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda together. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk and orange zest.

With a fork or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal. Add the wet ingredients to the flour-butter combination and mix until the dough comes together.

Spoon the dough into six 3-inch ring molds set in the prepared baking pan or drop six 1/3 heaping cups full into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the shortcakes with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. Bake for 16 to 17 minutes in the center rack of the oven, until the crust is golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a rack to cool. Serve warm.

FOR THE SIMPLE SYRUP:
In a saucepan, over high heat, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until it has completely cooled.

In a large bowl, pour the cooled simple syrup over the strawberries and let them macerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator.

With a whisk or a hand mixer, whip the cream in a chilled bowl until the cream holds soft peaks; don't overwhip the cream or it will become grainy. Add the sugar and whip the mixture until it is incorporated; this should take no more than 5 seconds.

TO SERVE:
On a serving plate cut the shortcake in half horizontally and place a heaping mound of the strawberries on top of one half of the shortcake. Drizzle some simple syrup over the strawberries and top it with a big dollop of whipped cream. Tilt the other half of the cake against the whipped cream and serve.