This old-fashioned fruit dessert boasts sweetened stewed berries covered with drop biscuit dough that is steamed on the stovetop, rather than baked. A Dutch oven was the perfect vessel here; the heavy bottom prevented the fruit from burning, and the heavy lid held in steam nicely. To avoid the downfalls of many recipes, including washed-out fruit and a soggy topping, we cooked down half of the berries until jammy, and then stirred in the remaining berries to maintain a fresh fruit flavor. A little bit of cornstarch further thickened the filling. For a fluffy biscuit topping, we placed a dish towel under the lid during cooking to absorb condensation that would turn the biscuits soggy. A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar over the finished dessert provided sweet crunch. Do not use frozen blueberries here, as they will make the filling watery.
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds (8 cups) blueberries
- ½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (11¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
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For the Filling
- Cook 4 cups blueberries, sugar, cinnamon, water, and lemon zest in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and jamlike, 10 to 12 minutes. Whisk lemon juice and cornstarch in small bowl until combined, then stir into blueberry mixture. Add remaining 4 cups blueberries and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove pot from heat and cover to keep warm. For the Topping
- Combine buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 6 tablespoons sugar together in large bowl. Slowly stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until dough forms.
- Using small ice cream scoop or 2 large spoons, spoon golf ball–size dough pieces on top of warm berry mixture (you should have 14 pieces). Wrap lid of Dutch oven with clean dish towel (keeping towel away from heat source) and cover pot. Simmer gently until biscuits have doubled in size and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 16 to 22 minutes.
- Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Remove lid and sprinkle biscuit topping with cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately.
