Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: Serves 4.
Ingredients:
- * * * Shortbread Biscuits * * *
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder if using cream, (2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, if using buttermilk)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
- 3/4 cup buttermilk or half & half (have 1 Tbl extra just in case)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- * * * Blackberry Topping * * *
- 5 cups blackberries
- 2/3 cup sugar
- * * * Whipped Cream * * *
- 1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation:
Make the shortcake:
Place the flour, sugar, baking powder (and baking soda if you are using it) and salt in a medium bowl. Stir well to distribute the ingredients.
Cut the butter into the flour mixture with two knives or a food processor until the size of peas.
Make a well in the center of this flour/butter mixture, and pour in the buttermilk or cream and the vanilla. Using a wooden spoon or a spatula push the flour from the outside of the bowl towards the center, gently combining the liquid and dry ingredients until it just comes together.
To finish, use your hands to gently push the dough together. Use a small amount of flour to prevent sticking on your work board, and turn the dough onto it.
Press the dough down gently into a circle about 3/4-inch thick.
Cut the dough into squares or rounds about 3-inch diameter.
Place the biscuits on the baking sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes, until they are golden brown, and a tester stuck into the middle of a biscuit comes out with no crumbs attached.
Slide the biscuits onto a cooling rack and let cool at least 1 hour before eating.
Prepare the Blackberries:
Combine 2 cups of blackberries and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl, and set aside for 5 minutes. Mash the berries with fork. This will release the juice and give you the sauce you need. Stir in the remaining blackberries and the remaining sugar, to taste. Let the berries macerate until they are the texture and sweetness that you like ( I prefer overnight, but no less than 1 hour).
Prepare the Whipped Cream
Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Beat on high until the cream thickens, and stands in peaks.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Serving:
Slice the top 1/4 of the biscuits off. Top the biscuit bottoms with the blackberries and then the whipped cream. Place the tops back on and serve.
Find the best Gourmet Specialty Foods, Supplies, and Cookware
Top Ten Gourmet Food Shops
Best Places to Buy Quality Meats - Beef, Pork, & Lamb
Where to Buy the Best Seafood
Best Places To Buy Kitchen Tools Online
Follow me on Facebook and Twitter!
