Combine sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice (if using) in a medium bowl. Stir well to coat. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries have released their juices and a syrup has formed. Refrigerate if preparing more than 30 minutes ahead.

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined.

Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Do not overwork — visible butter pieces create flaky layers.

Stir the vanilla extract into the 3/4 cup of heavy cream. Pour the cream mixture over the flour and butter. Stir with a fork just until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass. Do not overmix.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat gently into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold it in half, then pat back to 1 inch thick. Repeat this fold once more — this creates layers.

Use a floured 2.5-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits, pressing straight down without twisting. Re-pat the scraps once to cut additional biscuits. You should get approximately 6 biscuits.

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops with the reserved 2 tablespoons of cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.

Bake for 15–18 minutes until the tops are deeply golden brown and the biscuits have risen tall. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes. Add the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to the chilled bowl.

Beat on medium-high speed until soft to medium peaks form — the cream should hold its shape but the peaks will curl over slightly at the tip. Do not overbeat. Use immediately or refrigerate covered for up to 2 hours.

Split each warm biscuit in half horizontally with a serrated knife.

Place the biscuit bottoms on individual serving plates. Spoon a generous amount of macerated strawberries and their syrup over the bottom half, letting the syrup soak in.

Add a large dollop of whipped cream over the strawberries. Place the biscuit top on, then add another spoonful of strawberries and a final cloud of whipped cream. Serve immediately.