Grilled Shortcake Biscuits with Berry Jam

Any stone fruit or other berry can be substituted for the blueberries and blackberries in this recipe. If you're using leftover biscuits - or store-bought ones because you'd rather not make them from scratch - brush the tops and bottoms with melted butter and grill over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side or until they are a dark golden brown.

Yield: 9 - 10 biscuits and 2 cups of jam

Ingredients:

• Jam
• 2 pints blueberries and/or blackberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1 Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp cold water

Biscuits

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter, cubed
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• Whipped cream or ice cream

Instructions

In a large cast iron skillet or other grill-proof cooking vessel, combine berries, sugar, orange juice, and vanilla. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Cut butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until the texture resembles large bread crumbs and the largest pieces are the size of small peas.

Mix vanilla and almond extracts into the buttermilk. Pour milk mixture into the flour mixture and gently fold in using a rubber spatula. Fold until wet and dry ingredients are just incorporated, about 10 folds. The dough should be thick and spongy looking, but not dry. If needed, add on additional tablespoon of buttermilk at a time until dough is no longer dry.

Place a second cast iron or other grill-proof griddle or skillet on a cold grill. Turn heat to the lowest setting. On a three-burner gas grill, keep the middle burner off. If using coal, use cooler coals to start or cook after coals have lost a fair amount of heat. Heat grill until the temperature reaches 200°F.

Rub butter or oil on the griddle (do not use cooking spray if you are cooking over a flame). Scoop biscuit dough onto the griddle in cup size balls (a dry measuring cup or ice cream scoop works great). Leave 2 inches minimum between biscuits and allow yourself enough space to flip them later. Cover grill and cook for 9 minutes. Check the bottom of a biscuit; it should be dark golden brown (not burned) and the biscuit itself should have risen and started to firm. Flip biscuits over, close grill lid, and cook for an addition 4-5 minutes or until the same golden color is reached. Remove and cool on a sheet pan or cake rack. Repeat as necessary until all dough is used. Once biscuits are done, carefully remove the griddle from the grill.

Next, place the berry skillet on the grill and cover. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. Check berries and stir. If they haven't begun to bubble, turn up heat to medium low; if they are bubbling over, lower heat by turning off a burner or leaving the lid off. Continue to cook berries for an additional 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to keep them from bubbling over. After 15 minutes, stir and mash berries with the back of a spoon until the desired texture is reached.

Dissolve cornstarch in the cold water and stir into jam. Continue to stir until mixture has darkened and become thick, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let jam cool for 10 minutes

Serve biscuits with a generous spoonful of jam and a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

Recipe by Sarah Ward