1. Prepare Blueberry Base in Slow Cooker:

• If using fresh blueberries, rinse them gently. If using frozen, you can use them directly without thawing.
• Place the 4 cups of blueberries into a 3-quart slow cooker.
• Add the ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup water, and 1 teaspoon almond extract directly over the blueberries in the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.

2. Cook Blueberry Base:

• Cover the slow cooker securely with its lid.
• Cook on the HIGH setting for 2-3 hours, or until the blueberry mixture is bubbly and the fruit has softened and released its juices, creating a nice sauce.

3. Make the Dumpling Batter (While Fruit Cooks or Towards End):

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt until well combined. (If adding cinnamon to dumplings, whisk it in here).
• Add the 1 tablespoon of cold, cubed butter and 1 tablespoon of cold shortening to the dry ingredients.
• Using a pastry cutter, two knives in a crisscross motion, or your fingertips, cut the cold fats into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs or small peas.
• Pour in the ¾ cup of milk. Stir with a fork or spatula just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Be very careful not to overmix; overmixing will make the dumplings tough.

4. Add Dumplings and Finish Cooking:

• Once the blueberry mixture in the slow cooker is hot and bubbly (after its 2-3 hours on HIGH), remove the lid.
• Drop the prepared dumpling dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly over the top of the hot blueberry mixture. Try to space them out a bit, though they will spread and touch.
• Replace the lid on the slow cooker immediately.
• Continue to cook, covered, on the HIGH setting for 30 minutes longer (or on LOW for 1 to 1.5 hours, if you prefer to switch), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a dumpling comes out clean and the dumplings look puffed and cooked through. Avoid lifting the lid during this dumpling cooking phase if possible, as the steam is important.

5. Serve:

• Turn off the slow cooker.
• Let the Blueberry Grunt cool slightly for about 10-15 minutes with the lid off. This allows the sauce to thicken a bit more and the dumplings to set.
• Serve the Slow-Cooker Blueberry Grunt warm, scooped into bowls, ensuring each serving gets plenty of blueberries, sauce, and a dumpling or two.
• It is especially delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of heavy cream, if desired. Enjoy this comforting classic!