Shortcakes with Berry Lavender Compote

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together Bisquick and sugar. Add butter, egg, and sour cream, then beat on medium-high for 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk and vanilla, then beat another 30 seconds.

Pour the batter into a greased 8″ x 8″ pan and bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out of the center clean. The cake is best served warm, but keeps for a few days either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. (Tip: Leftover cake makes a fabulous breakfast, heated up and covered with warm milk.)

For the compote, rinse and dry all the berries, then hull and chop the strawberries into medium-sized pieces. Place 1 cup of the strawberries and 1/4 cup of the blueberries in a medium-sized saucepan along with the water. Mash berries slightly. Add lavender and bring to a simmer.

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, then add to the saucepan along with the lemon juice and stir. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Stir in the rest of the blueberries and chopped strawberries. The compote can be served immediately or chilled. It’s best the day it’s made because the strawberries start to break down, but the leftovers are great stirred into yogurt.