why am i so bad at this?

i'm quite sure that kate is going to cast me out of the cookie carnival gang. two out of my three challenges have been awful, awful failures. this month it was blueberry drop biscuits. i love berries. any type of berries.

here is the story:

ingredients
1/2 cup copha
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tspn almond extract
1 1/2 tspn grated lemon zest
2 c plain flour
2 tspn baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup blueberries

method
cream the shortening, sugar, egg, milk, extract and zest in a large bowl. Slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt. fold in the blueberries and mix until well blended.

cover and chill for 4 hours.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 1 1/2 inches apart on a greased tray. bake 12-15 mins. cool slightly before moving to wire rack.

now, this is a picture of my batter:


looks totally yummo. wish i had taken a photo of them on the tray ready to go in, because they looked beautiful then too. but in the oven they lost all their shape and i ended up with more of a slice, one tray of which i burnt because i was watching bloody spicks and specs at the time and myf's team were almost winning (i like it when myf's team wins). i was supposed to be taking these for the cancer council's biggest morning tea tomorrow, but i will have to stop at the shops now. how embarrassment!!

i have two excuses. firstly i have the worst cold in the world and thinking really, really hurts. secondly maybe copha in australia is different to vegetable shorting in america (which was what was in the recipe kate sent us). i plead ignorance and illness (and chronic stupidity)

soon i will cook something that works. i promise. please let me play with you kate, please!