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1
In a medium saucepan, combine the blackberries with the sugar, 3 cups of the water and lemon juice.
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2
Cook until the berries are soft and a heavy syrup has formed, about 15 minutes.
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3
Remove from the heat and strain off the syrup from the berries.
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4
Set the berries aside with 1/2 cup of the syrup and return the remaining syrup to the saucepan.
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5
Add the remaining 1 cup water, the vanilla, and the butter to the syrup in the saucepan.
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6
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
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7
For the dumpling dough:
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8
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
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9
Using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingertips, cut in the 6 tablespoons butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
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10
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
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11
Add the yeast mixture and the buttermilk to the flour mixture, stirring only until just incorporated.
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12
Do not overwork the dough.
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13
Drop the biscuit dough, by the tablespoonful, in batches, into boiling syrup and cook until the dumplings float to the surface and they are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
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14
Remove the dumplings from the syrup and place in small bowls.
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15
Ladle some of the hot syrup and cooked berries over the top of the dumplings.
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16
Serve garnished with a dollop of whipped cream or a small scoop of ice cream.
