Orange And Sour-cream Drop Shortcakes With Assorted Berries Recipe

FOR SHORTCAKES
3 c All-purpose flour
1/3 c Granulated sugar
1 tb Baking powder
3/4 ts Baking soda
3/4 ts Salt
1 1/2 Sticks cold unsalted butter;
-cut into bits (3/4
; cup)
1 1/2 ts Freshly grated orange zest
1 c Sour cream
1 c Milk
2 c Well-chilled heavy cream
1/4 c Confectioners’ sugar

In a bowl with a potato masher mash 2 cups blackberries with 1/3 cup
granulated sugar and stir in remaining blackberries. In 2 more bowls mash
separately raspberries and blueberries with remaining granulated sugar in
same manner. Let berries stand at room temperature 4 hours. Berry mixtures
may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring berries to room
temperature before serving.

Make shortcakes:

Preheat oven to 425F. and lightly butter 2 baking sheets. In a large bowl
whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and
salt and blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small
bowl whisk together zest, sour cream, and milk and add to flour mixture.
Stir mixture until it just forms a soft and sticky dough and drop into 12
mounds at 1-inch intervals onto prepared baking sheets. Pat dough to
1/2-inch thickness and bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until pale golden.
Transfer shortcakes to a rack and cool. Shortcakes may be made 4 hours
ahead and kept in airtight containers.

In a large bowl beat cream with confectioners’ sugar until it holds soft
peaks. Whipped cream may be made 1 hour ahead and chilled in a
cheesecloth-lined large sieve set over a bowl, its surface covered with
plastic wrap. Whisk cream lightly before serving.

Split shortcakes horizontally with a fork and serve with berries and
whipped cream.

Serves 12.