Blueberry & Lemon Shortcake

There are plenty of things that make me feel better when I am sick. And since I am currently suffering from some sort of mysterious bug, I am clinging to those comforting things like crazy. In case you didn't already guess, scones is one of them. But this isn't really a scone. It's a shortcake, which seems to be a very confused dessert. I've seen it made with scone/biscuit bases, sponge cake and somtimes even pastry. But for me, I always imagine it as being closer to a scone than anything else. With loads of freshly whipped cream.

So how did this blueberry shortcake come about? Why not a regular old strawberry shortcake? Well I was sitting in bed watching an old Gilmore Girls episode (another comfort thing which makes A's eyes roll with the super girly fast talking) and they were going on and on about blueberry shortcakes. And it sounded really darn appealing to me. Plus I had a huge stash of super cheap fresh blueberries that I picked up from the supermarket. The only thing that made it complete for me was the addition of a ton of lemon zest to the dough to give it a little zing. Oh and in case you are wondering, that stray blueberry wasn't some sort of attempt at food styling, it just rolled off my spoon as I was placing it on top of the shortcake and so I shrugged and went, "Meh, it will do."

As crazy as it sounds, baking scones, or something close to scones makes me feel better when I'm sick. I've done it so much I can do it stress-free and without any extra thought. It's almost therapeutic. And these shortcakes turned out just as I'd hoped, golden and buttery, the lovely scent of lemon, and they just melted in your mouth. With a perfect sweet blueberry topping, made extra fun by the fresh berries that went POP! in your mouth as they burst, and LOTS of freshly whipped cream. The texture of the cakes was actually quite different to a scone in the end, much richer and crumbly rather than fluffy, halfway to a shortbread. It might not actually cure any illnesses but it does leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy.

Blueberry & Lemon Shortcakes
(adapted from this recipe, makes approx 8)
2 cups plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
115g cold unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup pure cream (whipping cream)
1 lemon
1 cup (approx 3 punnets) fresh blueberries (or frozen)
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp honey
Extra pure cream for topping

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. Zest lemon. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar (2 tbsp) and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add cold butter and use your fingertips to rub together until it is combined into a sandy mixture with some large lumps of butter. Using your hands or a butter knife to combine, gradually add the cream until most of the dry mixture is just moistened. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle the lemon zest over the top. Lightly knead the dough until it just comes together.

Pat the dough into a round about 1.5-2cm thick then use a cutter to cut out your portions. I used a 6cm scone cutter. Place on a lined baking sheet and brush the tops of the cakes with some extra cream. Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and the dough is set. Cool on a rack.

While cakes are cooling, place blueberries, honey, caster sugar and the juice from the lemon in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until the blueberries just start to burst open. Remove from the heat and allow to cool and thicken slightly (I placed mine in the fridge to cool it down quicker). Slice shortcakes in half and then spoon the blueberry mixture over the top.

Dollop some freshly whipped cream on top and serve with the other half of the shortcake on top. Shortcakes (unassembled) can be stored in an airtight container overnight, but is best eaten fresh. Blueberry mixture can be stored overnight in the fridge.