Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Biscuits with Blueberries and Cream

Makes 8 (2 1/2-inch) biscuits

Individual sweet biscuits sliced open, drizzled with warm blueberries and topped with cream are what berry shortcake dreams are made of.

For the biscuits:

2 cups self-rising flour, plus more for shaping

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar

1 1⁄4 cups heavy cream, divided

Decorating sugar, or other large-grain sugar

For the blueberries:

2 cups fresh or frozen wild or cultivated blueberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Pinch ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

Whipped cream, for serving

Move a rack of the oven to the top shelf and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Prepare the dough by whisking 2 cups of the flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Pour 1 cup cream, reserving 1/4 cup cream, into the flour and stir with a rubber spatula to quickly pull the flour into the cream. Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the sticky dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Add a bit of reserved cream if necessary to incorporate the remaining flour into the shaggy wettish dough. If the dough is too wet, use more flour when shaping.

Lightly sprinkle a clean surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto floured surface and sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour. With floured hands, knead the dough 2 or 3 times until it just begins to come together. Fold the dough in half and pat it into a 1⁄2-inch-thick rectangle, about 6 inches wide and 9 inches long. Repeat the folding and patting 3 times, using a little additional flour only if needed. Brush off any visible flour from the top of the final 6 x 9-inch rectangle. Dip a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter into the reserved flour and cut out the biscuits, being careful not to twist the cutter.

Move the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet and bake the biscuits on the top rack of the oven until light golden brown, about 12 – 14 minutes. After 6 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven so that the front of the pan is now turned to the back. Continue baking until the biscuits are light golden brown, about another 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.

Heat blueberries, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan over medium heat just until sugar is melted. Remove to cool.

To assemble the shortcakes, split shortcakes open and pile blueberries on the bottom half. Add a small dollop of cream, cover with top of shortcake, and dollop top with cream.