blackberry shortcake

 

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3 lbs of blackberries, gently rinsed
sugar to taste,   from 1 teaspoon to 1/4 cup of sugar, depending on how tart the berries are.

Whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Vanilla
1 teaspoon sugar

Put clean berries into a large bowl. Using a potato masher, gently mash down on the berries, until you've crushed about a third of them. Add sugar to taste. Mix and let sit for 5 minutes for the berries to macerate.

Biscuits
3 cups all purpose flour
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Sift the sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix with a fork to combine. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork until the largest pieces of butter are the size of peas. (Or pulse several times in a food processor.) Combine the vanilla and cream in a liquid measure. Make a well in the center of the flour and and pour the cream into the well. Mix with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened and just combined; it should look shaggy and still feel a little dry. Knead gently by hand five or six times to create a loose ball.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into an 8-inch square, 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper, cover with plastic and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Heat the oven to 425ºF. Remove the dough from refrigerator. Cut the dough into 9 even squares and spread them about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheet. Bake until the biscuits are golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

Makes 9 biscuits. (Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, July 2003)

Whip the cream with a mixer, adding a drop or two of vanilla and, if you like, a teaspoon of sugar.

To serve, cut each biscuit in half, place bottom side in a bowl, dollop on some of the whipped cream and ladel on a big spoonful of the berries top with other half of the biscuit, another dollop of cream and more berries. 

  

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bon appetit!