Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
The heart and soul of Gilmore Girls was undoubtedly its leading ladies— iconic mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory Gilmore— but the food is really what made Stars Hollow go round. Any avid fan of the classic aughts series has likely dreamed of a feast curated by Sookie St. James or a cheeseburger courtesy of Luke Danes at Luke’s Diner. Even through intense conversations, Friday night dinners at Emily and Richard Gilmore’s were mouthwatering.
The chance to indulge on the culinary delights of the world of Gilmore Girls has finally arrived with Gilmore Girls: The Official Cookbook, out May 10. Written by humorist and editor Kristen Mulrooney and recipe developer and food and prop stylist Elena P. Craig, the first official collection of recipes inspired by the show chronicles the show’s legendary dishes, such as Sookie's risotto and Mrs. Kim’s Flaxseed Muffins. It even includes hosting tips from Michel and etiquette tips from Emily.
For a sneak peek, Craig and Mulrooney have kindly shared the recipe for Jackson’s Blueberry Shortcake. Just think back to when Sookie was in a conundrum over Jackson’s subpar strawberries and you’ll feel motivated as ever to swap in blueberries for this classic, delectable dessert.
See the full recipe below.
Yield: 10-12 servings
For the Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for preparing the baking pan
½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing the baking pan
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
½ cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla paste
1 cup sour cream
For the Blueberries
5 cups blueberries, rinsed, divided
2 lemons, zest removed and set aside
1 cup sugar, divided
For the Whipped Cream
1 ½ heavy cups heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Whisk the flour, baking soda and baking powder together in a medium bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, slowly add the sugar and continue beating until pale in color and all the sugar is incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla and sour cream until combined but not necessarily smooth.
Alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream mixture to the butter mixture, ending with sour cream and beating on low after each addition until incorporated.
Butter and flour the bottom only of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Add the cake batter to the baking pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove cake from the ocean and poke holes across the surface. Allow to cool.
Combine one cup of blueberries, juice of 1 lemon and ½ cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and boil 3 to 5 minutes until most of the blueberries have broken down and the mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, about five minutes. Strain blueberry pulp and reserve; pour the syrup over the cake. Use a pastry brush to spread the syrup around and make sure that it covers the whole surface. The syrup will soak into the cake while you prepare the berries and whip cream.
In a large bowl, mix the lemon zest with remaining ½ cup of sugar, the juice of the remaining lemon and the remaining 4 cups of blueberries. Set aside and allow to macerate.
Just before serving, prepare the whipped cream by combining the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mixing on high until soft peaks form.
To serve, cut squares of the cake, pile blueberries on top or alongside, and top with a generous dollop of whipped cream.
Note: This cake can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated. The blueberries can macreate for up to 3 hours in the refrigerator, but should be brought up to room temperature before serving.
Photography by: Saeed Adyani/Netflix; Insight Editions/ Simon & Schuster
