RASPBERRY GRUNT (for eight)

 ¾ cup sugar plus 4 tablespoons

½ teaspoon plus a pinch of ground cinnamon

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

salt

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature; more as needed

4 cups raspberries (about 1-1/2 pints)

3 cups blackberries (about 1-1/2 pints)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

heavy cream, for drizzling

---

1. Stir together 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Whisk together flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, the baking soda, a pinch of salt and the ginger in a medium bowl.  Stir in the melted butter.  Add enough of the buttermilk to form a soft, sticky dough that’s slightly wetter than a biscuit dough.  Set batter aside.

2. Gently fold together the raspberries, blackberries, lemon juice, remaining ¾ cup sugar, a pinch of salt, the remaining pinch of cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl. Transfer the berry mixture to a large straight-sided skillet.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

3. Drop 8 large dollops of batter on top of berry mixture using 2 spoons, spacing them evenly. Sprinkle dumplings with the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Cover, reduce heat to medium.  Cook until the dumplings are set and the surface is dry when touched with a fingertip and the juices are bubbling, about 15 minutes.   (If you’re not sure that that the dumplings are done, you can gently break one open with a fork.)  Do not remove the lid before 15 minutes (or steam will escape), and if the dumplings need more cooking, quickly return the lid.  Serve warm, drizzled with cream.