Sugar & Spice Shortcake really is everything nice! It’s got a flakey, buttery homemade crust that holds a sweet, sugary pear and blueberry filling that will taste like a whimsical fairytale dream. Topped with a big dollop of your favorite whipped topping and some crunchy flaked almonds, after one bite, you might just exclaim, “Wow, today is a fairytale.” And that’s what Sugar & Spice Shortcake is made of!
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 cardamom pod, seeds crushed, pod discarded
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 Beurre Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced and finely zested
- 1 cup blueberries
- milk, to taste, for brushing
- 2 tablespoons flaked almonds
- 1 tablespoon Demerara cane sugar
- whipped topping, to taste, for serving
For the shortcake pastry:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring a worksurface
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Directions
Step 1 –In a saucepan over low heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the brown sugar, the cardamom seeds, and the nutmeg and cook, while stirring, until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 2 –Add the pear, the lemon juice, and the lemon zest to the butter mixture and cook until the pears are soft, but not mushy, about 8 minutes.
Step 3 –Transfer the pan from the heat and stir in the blueberries.
Step 4 –Allow the pear mixture to cool to room temperature.
Step 5 –While the filling is cooling, in a bowl using an electric mixer, beat the remaining butter and the caster sugar until it is thick and pale.
Step 6 –Add the egg to the butter mixture and mix well.
Step 7 –Add the all-purpose flour, the almond meal, and the baking powder to the butter mixture and stir until it is combined.
Step 8 –Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it briefly until the mixture is brought together.
Step 9 –Divide the dough in half and pat each of the halves into discs.
Step 10 –Enclose the dough discs in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 11 –Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F.
Step 12 –Grease a 9 1/2-inch springform pan.
Step 13 –On a lightly floured surface, roll each of the dough discs into 9-inch round portions.
Step 14 –Press 1 of the dough portions into the prepared pan.
Step 15 –Pile the pear filling and any of its juices evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edge.
Step 16 –Top the pear filling with the remaining dough portion and press the edges together to seal it.
Step 17 –Brush the top of the dough with the milk and sprinkle with the almonds and the Demerara sugar.
Step 18 –Bake the shortcake until it is golden, about 35-40 minutes. Loosely cover with foil if the crust is browning too quickly.
Step 19 –Allow the shortcake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
Step 20 –Transfer the shortcake out of the pan.
Step 21 –Slice and serve with the whipped cream.