Star-Spangled Shortcake

Combine flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter; use a pastry cutter or two knives to incorporate butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Blend 2 cups heavy cream into flour mixture using a fork. Turn out onto a clean work surface; press away from you with the heel of your hand just to combine dough. Add 1 tablespoon cream if the dough is too dry to combine.

Prepare egg wash: Place egg and 2 tablespoons cream in a small bowl, and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Press dough into a 7-by-10-inch rectangle, 1 inch thick. Use a 3 1/2-inch star cutter to cut out six biscuits. Press three of the stars to flatten slightly. Form into a ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet, alternating flattened stars with unflattened stars, using egg wash to join them along common edge. Gather remaining dough; cut out four more stars for additional servings, if desired. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove dough from refrigerator. Brush top of star ring and individual stars with egg wash, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees; continue baking until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Combine raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, red currants (if using), and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl, and toss to combine. Allow berries to macerate for at least 30 minutes, until very juicy. Whip remaining 1 1/2 cups cream to soft peaks.

Use a serrated knife to cut star ring in half crosswise. Cut the four extra stars as well. Use two large offset spatulas to carefully lift the top half of the ring, and set aside, leaving the spatulas in place. Set aside tops of stars as well. Transfer bottom of ring to a serving platter. Transfer bottoms of stars to plates, if desired. Spoon macerated berries, juices, and whipped cream over star ring and additional stars. Place the tops on the star ring and stars using the spatulas, and dust with confectioners' sugar, if using. Serve immediately.