Lemon Shortcakes With Gingered Blueberries
For the best shortcakes, bake them just before serving. To make that an easy prospect, you can prepare and freeze them in advance: Prepare the dough through Step 3, freeze the shortcakes completely, then transfer them to an airtight container for up to one week. Bake the frozen scones whenever the mood strikes. They’ll take a few extra minutes to cook, but will be perfectly tender and fresh. They’re wonderful served straight from the oven, but if you plan to layer them with cream and fruit, let them cool to room temperature first.
- Total:
- Serves: 6 persons
Ingredients
- 2 ½cups/320 grams all-purpose flour
- ⅓cup/65 grams granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- Zest of 1 large lemon (about 4 teaspoons), plus 1/4 cup/60 milliliters juice
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- ½teaspoon kosher salt
- 10tablespoons/140 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½cup/120 milliliters cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing
- 1large egg
- 2cups/290 grams fresh blueberries
- 2tablespoons/25 grams chopped crystallized ginger
- 1 ½cups/360 milliliters heavy cream, chilled
- 1tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, the lemon zest, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and use your fingers to quickly flatten each piece of butter into the flour mixture. The butter should be pliant but not melty. If it starts to get too soft, refrigerate the mixture for a few minutes before moving on.Step 2
In another large bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup/120 milliliters heavy cream with the lemon juice and egg until combined. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened.Step 3
Tip the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Work it a few times, just to get the mixture to come together, but don’t overwork it. Pat the dough into a 5-inch square. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into two rectangles, then cut each rectangle crosswise into 3 pieces. Separate them on the parchment paper, slide the parchment paper onto a baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.Step 4
Just before baking, brush the top of each shortcake with cream and sprinkle liberally with granulated sugar. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one shortcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.Step 5
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, smash 1/4 cup/35 grams of the blueberries. Add the remaining whole blueberries and crystallized ginger and toss to combine. Whip the cream to medium-stiff peaks with the confectioners’ sugar, if using.Step 6
To serve, split the shortcakes in half and top the bottom half with whipped cream and berries. Replace the top.