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Move over strawberry shortcake, there’s a new summery fruit recipe in town! This Blueberry Dessert shortcake with vanilla custard pastry cream and fresh wild blueberries just can’t be beat. It’s a super easy summer recipe that can be made in minutes but is sure to impress your family and friends.
This Blueberry dessert shortcake is a delicious twist on the classic strawberry shortcake recipe and will become your new favorite summertime treat.
The shortcake biscuit is layered with creamy vanilla custard cream and fresh wild blueberries, then topped with sweetened whipped cream. It’s like taking a bite out of heaven. It is perfect for any occasion – whether it be a casual family gathering or a special occasion!
I love using fresh wild blueberries in this recipe because they are so flavorful and juicy, but if you can only find regular store-bought berries, they work just as well!
Also, if you want to make it even easier on yourself it’s perfectly acceptable to use store-bought shortcakes, pound cake or angel food cake instead of making homemade shortcake biscuits from scratch, although I would highly recommend the biscuit recipe provided here: Easy 30 Minute Shortcake Biscuits. They are out of this world and have been praised by my family as the best biscuits they’ve ever had (not kidding)!
The 4 Layers of this Amazing Blueberry Dessert
This simple, yet elegant blueberry dessert consists of four amazing layers starting with the perfect shortcake biscuit, followed by a layer of vanilla custard pastry cream, homemade blueberry filling, and topped with whipped cream. It’s so incredibly easy but looks and tastes as if you spent all day in the kitchen! Trust me when I tell you that this blueberry dessert recipe will become a family favorite! It’s so versatile and can be used with almost any kind of fruit filling.
1) The Biscuit
The first layer in this super easy blueberry dessert is the shortcake layer. While blueberry shortcake made with store-bought biscuits, pound cake, or angel food cake is fine, homemade biscuits are far superior! Here’s how to make the best shortcake biscuits.
At my house, heavy cream is always in the fridge during the summer. It’s used to make homemade whipped cream for desserts and it’s an important ingredient in this easy shortcake biscuit recipe. It’s quick and easy to make, using no butter—just heavy cream. From start to finish, it takes just 30 minutes!
2) Vanilla Custard Pastry Cream
For the next layer of this blueberry dessert, you’ll make a creamy vanilla pastry cream made with just three ingredients. Pastry cream may seem intimidating, but it’s actually very easy to make at home. Classic desserts often contain a custard at their heart, but this one takes the fuss out of making one.
Fortunately, there’s an easy solution: Instant vanilla pudding mix. Just whip 2 cups heavy cream, one box of instant vanilla pudding mix, and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, until thick. Use this as a filling for fruit tarts or cream puffs, layer it in trifles made with cookies or cake cubes and fresh fruit, or in this case, to give a unique twist to traditional blueberry shortcake recipes.
3) Homemade Blueberry Filling
This blueberry filling only takes a few minutes to make and can be used as a topping for many desserts— the longest part here is probably waiting for the sauce to cool so you can use it to assemble the shortcakes.
The blueberry filling consists of a few simple ingredients:
- blueberries
- sugar
- lemon juice
- water
- cornstarch
You cook everything but the cornstarch for a couple of minutes, add a cornstarch & water mixture, boil and cook for a minute more, then remove from heat and cool.
4) Homemade Whipped Cream
I made my own whipped cream, but if you don’t have the time or inclination, you can just use store-bought or even Cool Whip. You’ll get no judgment from me. Just do what’s best and easiest for you.
I hope you love this blueberry dessert shortcake as much as we do! This is a quick recipe and it’s easily adaptable by using all different berries and fruit! Whether you are an experienced cook or just learning simple recipes, this delightful blueberry dessert is the perfect dessert for your next BBQ party or summer get-together. This blueberry dessert shortcake recipe is sure to be a hit whenever you serve it! Enjoy! If you are looking for more summer recipes to bring the family together, take a look at my other favorites:
- Small Batch Wild Black Raspberry Jam Recipe
- Lamb’s Quarters & Wild Mushroom Quiche
- Best Zucchini Pie Recipe with All-Purpose Baking Mix
- Amazing Recipe for Zucchini Pancakes
- Easy Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
- Old Fashioned Pickled Beets: Spiced With Cinnamon & Clove
Blueberry Shortcake
Ingredients
Shortcake Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Vanilla Custard Pastry Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix 3.4 oz.
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
Blueberry Filling
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Shortbread Biscuits
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the heavy cream until a dough forms, about 30 seconds.
- Empty the dough onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth ball, this will take about 30 seconds. On a floured surface pat the dough into a 1-inch thick circle. Using a 2 3/4 inch (or 3 inch) biscuit cutter, cut biscuits and place on the prepared baking sheet. Pat out dough scraps into a 1-inch thick circle and cut again.
- Bake 25 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack to cool. Cut biscuits in half and serve with whipped cream and berries. Biscuits can be served warm or at room temperature.
Vanilla Custard Pastry Cream
- Beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl until it begins to thicken. Add the vanilla pudding mix and continue to beat the mixture until it becomes very thick.
Blueberry Filling
- In a heavy, medium saucepan, add the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and half the water. Bring to a boil.
- Add the cornstarch to the remaining water (cold water is best). Stir to remove any lumps then add to the blueberry mixture. Continue to boil until thickened; about 1 minute.
Whipped Cream
- Add whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the chilled bowl of a standing mixer (or chilled mixing bowl). and beat for 60-90 seconds until stiff peaks form.
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