[donotprint] I wish you could have joined me yesterday as I enjoyed eating this scrumptious blueberry shortcake (pictured above) all by myself in complete silence while savoring each bite. Rare moments like yesterday are moments I treasure. I wasn’t planning on making this but it just happened on a whim. I had just put my son down for his midday nap and baked my favorite cream scones with the intent on just spreading some homemade strawberry jam and butter. But this silly visual picture of a shortcake popped into my mind tempting me with possibility. While the lemon zested scones were baking, I surrendered to my hearts desire. Why not just treat myself to something special… just for me. Before I had a chance to change my mind I quickly checked to see if I had everything I needed. Frozen blueberries? Check. Heavy cream? Check. And because my yard is covered in wild blackberry bushes (which I can’t stand!) and fresh mint, I was even able to make my shortcake pretty.
I won’t tell you in detail how much I enjoyed my blueberry shortcake other than to say, they were as satisfying as they are mouth-watering to look at. I also won’t tell you how ridiculously easy this dessert is to pull-together because I want you to believe I worked hard on this -really hard. And if by chance you ever do come visit me, I will make you a blueberry shortcake and answer the door with flour all over my face so you think I fussed over you. You will tell me I shouldn’t have and I will just smile and than *sigh* from apparent exhaustion. You will see tons of dirty dishes and bowls in my sink believing they are from preparing my dessert and offer to do my dishes. Don’t worry, I’ll let you wash them without telling you those dishes are piled up from 2 days of not doing dishes.
In all seriousness, this dessert is incredibly easy and would make a great dessert for family after dinner or for when you are entertaining guests. Enjoy! [/donotprint]
Blueberry Shortcakes Recipe
Shortcake ingredients and directions:
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg slightly beaten
1 tsp. of vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
<<<<<gluten-free version of this shortcake can be found here>>>>>
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulsate everything in 3-second intervals until everything resembles course meal. If doing this by hand, use 2 knives, a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles course meal.
Transfer everything to a large bowl. Stir in heavy cream, egg, vanilla, and lemon zest mixing the dough by hand until it forms into a uniformed and slightly moistened dough. On a floured surface, scoop out half the dough and form a ball. Flatten the dough until your disk is approx. 3/4″ in height. Press down the outside of the dough circle so the center is slightly taller.
Cut each circle in quarters. You should have enough dough to make 8 shortcakes total. Bake for 15 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on an ungreased cookie sheet. Remove shortcakes from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack. While shortcakes are cooking, prepare blueberry sauce and whipped cream.
Blueberry shortcake sauce ingredients and directions:
2 cups frozen blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
fresh juice from 1 lemon
Cook blueberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice on medium-high heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Whipped cream ingredients and directions:
1 cup of heavy whipped cream
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tbl. of vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, make a batch of sweetened whipped cream by whipping heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer or Kitchenaid until your cream has formed peaks.
Assembling the shortcakes
Slice each shortcake in half horizontally. Place the bottom half on a plate. From there layer everything. Start by adding a couple tablespoons of blueberry sauce on top of the cut side of the biscuit. Next add a dollop of whipped cream and then place the other half of the biscuit on top. Finish the shortcake off with a couple more tablespoons of blueberry sauce and then a dollop of whipped cream. Optional garnish: Place a small mint sprig on top. Enjoy!
Related Post: Strawberry Shortcakes Recipe
These look stunningly beautiful, and I bet they taste just as good as they look as well!
In love with all these photos – simply beautiful.
I too wish I could have joined you eating this! Stunning pictures.
I’ve tried your scones, and they’re the best! Now that my mother just gave me a lot of blueberries, it’s a given sign I should make this! Yay! 😉
Mmm, me want now!
I love the idea of using cream scones for shortcakes! I’m headed to the NE soon, where blueberries are bigger and juicier than any you’ve ever seen. Can’t wait to bake w/ them!
Genius! What is good with strawberries will be even better with blueberries! Might just start a trend!
OMG! That is beautiful! I just found your blog and I don’t want to leave! 🙂
I had the most amazing strawberry shortcake this week. I can’t wait to get my hands on some fresh blueberries so I can have a blueberry shortcake experience. I appreciate my special alone moments, too.
Those shortcakes look absolutely gorgeous. Looking forward to trying out my own!!
Man o man, need…that…now….
Good thing you can see past all that, Alice!
Blueberry shortcake. Of course!!! Why didn’t I think of that? Maybe because I played with Strawberry Shortcake dolls when I was a kid, and blueberries crossed the line into masculinity (Wasn’t Hucklberry Pie her friend, or something?).
Apparently my creativity for thinking up such a perfect dish as blueberry shortcake was stunted by a deep-rooted psychological interpretation of gender bias by my former 4-year-old self.
You made your shortcake VERY pretty! I always defer to strawberries- but am now inspired…
True story; I thought about this post while at work today. That’s how yummy it looks.
I wish I were there with you also!
These are gorgeous. I love the gluten-free version, too. I have a friend who cannot have gluten, so it’s always nice to have recipes to make when we get together with her.
Wait, you hate that your yard is covered with wild blueberries? WHY? Send some my way, and I’ll gladly take them off of your hands! 🙂
Oh I think I have died and gone to heaven! I also use this scone recipe which I absolutely love. I can wait to try them with blueberries!
Hmmm I do have all of the ingredients in my house to make this right now!! Too bad I just made some banana bread though.. will have to make this soon! Your pictures are beautiful!
This is the perfect summer dessert. Love your photos!
I often ask my family for a moment of silence while I am enjoying of something exceptionally good. This blueberry shortcake is incredibly enticing.
Such stunning photos! I want a bite of this right now.
Your post cracked me up as I pictured you flour faced and “exhausted” from baking all day. 🙂 I’m so glad you treated yourself! This looks so delicious! I love a good scone, especially with berries and cream.
That top picture is divine, as well!
Like your humorous post. Strawberries are in season now so I’ll make strawberries shortcakes instead, thanks! 🙂 By the way, there’s a repeat of ingredients at the end of the list.
Your photos are always so beautiful. I can’t wait to try this one this summer with fresh blueberries. Yum!