Blueberry Shortcake

-TO COMPLETE-
4 c Blueberries
1/2 c Sugar
3 tb Lemon juice; fresh
1 ts Lemon zest; grated
1/4 ts Ground ginger or allspice
3 tb Dark rum
1 tb Cornstarch
2 c Heavy cream; chilled
Confectioner’s sugar; to
-taste

First make the shortcake. Mix together in a bowl the flour, sugar, baking
powder, and salt. Add the butter cut into pieces and with a pastry blender,
two knives, or your fingertips, quickly break up the butter into the flour
until the texture resembles oatmeal. Beat the egg into the milk and stir
them into the dry ingredients to make a smooth, soft dough. Quickly knead
it on a lightly floured board, no more than 1 minute, and roll it out to
1/2 or 3/4 inch thick. With the sharp edge of a glass or biscuit cutter,
cut the dough into 2-1/2 inch circles and place them well apart on an
ungreased cookie sheet. (The shortcake can wait up to a few hours if
necessary; it is important to serve it still warm from the oven.)

Combine half the blueberries (2 cups) in a pot with the sugar, lemon juice,
zest, ginger, and half the rum. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Make a
paste with the remaining rum and cornstarch and stir it into hot berry
mixture. Return it again to the boil, remove the pan from the heat, and
stir until the liquid has thickened. Cool the mixture, then stir in the
remaining berries. Taste carefully to see if it needs more seasoning. Set
aside.

Whip the cream until stiff and sweeten to taste with confectioner’s sugar.
Unless you are serving it right away, cover and chill.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Bake the shortcake for 12 to 15 minutes,
until they are just done. Let them cool somewhat, but be sure to serve them
still warm. To serve, split the shortcake, spoon some of the berries and
juice over the bottom, top with a generous dollop of whipped cream, and set
the cap on top. If you like, dust the top with more confectioner’s sugar
and pass extra cream on the side.