This morning for breakfast we enjoyed a little celebration of August in New England. I had about a cup of blackberries from our backyard languishing in the fridge, and since it was too early in the day for Jim Dodge's blackberry-lime cobbler, I improvised with biscuits instead, modifying the recipe from the latest Joy of Cooking.
Ingredients
1-3/4 c white flour
2 T white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbs chilled butter, cut into chunks
1 c blackberries
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 c buttermilk
1 Tbs milk
Method
Preheat oven to 450 F. Grease a baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients three times. Add the butter and cut it into the flour, using your fingertips or a pastry blender, until the mixture is integrated but still a little coarse.
Add the blackberries to the bowl and toss to coat them with the flour mixture. Sprinkle the lime juice and zest over the mixture, and, using a fork or your hand, lightly incorporate it. Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough just comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead it gently, turning only once or twice. The dough will seem wet, but that's okay. Pat it to about 1" thick and cut with a biscuit cutter. You'll have about 10 biscuits.
Place the biscuits on the greased sheet, brush lightly with milk, and bake 12-15 minutes, until the tops are browned.
