Blueberry

Blueberry Crumb Cake
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Blueberry Crumb Cake

This was a perfect dessert to a girls night at my house. SO GOOD. My husband had 2 pieces…
From one of my favorite sites Smitten Kitchen.

Topping:
5 tablespoons (40 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup, 2 ounces or 55 grams) unsalted butter, cold is fine
Pinch of salt

Cake:
2 cups minus 1 tablespoon (i.e. 1 3/4 cups + 3 tablespoons or 240 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup, 2 ounces or 55 grams) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint (2 to 2 2/3 cups, 12 to 16 ounces fresh blueberries, clean and dry
1/2 cup milk, whole is ideal, any kind should work
1/2 cup (55 grams) walnuts, chopped medium fine (optional)

Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch round baking pan (with at least 2″ sides) and dust it lightly with flour. 

Prepare the topping by mixing the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt, then cutting the butter in with a pastry blender, fork or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and zest together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Beat in 1/3 of the dry ingredient mixture until just combined, followed by 1/2 the milk; repeat with remaining dry ingredients and milk, finishing with the dry mixture. The batter will be very stiff, but don’t fret. Fold blueberries into cake batter until evenly distributed.

Scoop cake batter into prepared pan and smooth so that it is flat. If using walnuts, scatter them on top. Sprinkle with prepared streusel. Bake in heated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out batter-free. You can let the cake cool complete in the pan on a rack.

Do ahead: Cake keeps covered with plastic or foil at room temperature for three days. If longer, it might be best to keep it in the fridge. It gets more moist each day.

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Blueberry Peach Crumble
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Blueberry Peach Crumble

Peaches and blueberries are a favorite combination in our house. Thanks to my sister in law (and Harry and David)! This was a perfect Sunday afternoon treat (this would be good for breakfast, too). Adapted from pastryandbeyond.

Ingredients

Crust and Crumbles

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup and 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Peach Filling

  • 1 cup peaches, peeled and cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch 
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 8 inch square oven-proof dish and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, about 2 inches of overhang on each side.
  • Mix the peaches and blueberries with lemon juice and then with the almond extract. Next, toss with cornstarch and sugar. Set aside.  
  • Mix the flour, rolled oats, sugar, cinnamon, salt well in a medium bowl. Then add the melted butter and stir with a spoon or spatula.
  • Place ⅔ of the mixture into an oven-proof dish that is lined with parchment paper.  Use your hands or a spoon to spread the mixture evenly.
  • Next, cover the crust with the peach mixture but leave the excess liquid in the bowl. You may want to use this liquid later if there is too much left. (You can place that liquid into a small pan, and when the mixture thickens you can remove it from the heat and drizzle the sauce on top of the baked bars. ) 
  • Sprinkle the remaining dough over the peaches. If you like you can make some big crumble pieces by squeezing crumble mixture in your hand before sprinkling. Use your fingertips to press to the crumbles so they can stick to peaches. 
  • Bake for 33-35 minutes until the top becomes golden brown and the crumbles are crunchy. Let it cool at room temperature for almost 1 hour. Then keep in the fridge for extra 1,5 hours until it is completely cool so you can have nicely cut bars.

Chilled Berry Soup
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Chilled Berry Soup

This is just so refreshing on a hot summer day. Great as a first course with grilled meat. I have made this over the years and it never turns out quite the same, but it is always good.. I used a mix of frozen strawberries, blackberries, Blueberries and raspberries for this version but fresh is great if you have ripe fruit. Adapted from an Old James McNair cookbook. I love his cookbooks.

Ingredients

6 cups stemmed ripe berries such as strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries (one kind or assortment), or frozen mixed berries
1 cup orange juice or apple juice
½ cup sugar, or to taste
2 cups Asti Spumante, Champagne, or other sparkling wine

Directions

  • Working in batches, if necessary, combine the berries and juices in a food processor or blender and puree until fairly smooth.
  • Transfer to a glass ceramic bowl and stir in the sugar and sparkling wine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.
  • Ladle into chilled bowls



Serves 6 as a soup course or dessert.

Fresh Berry Cobbler
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Fresh Berry Cobbler

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I first made this using fresh Bing Cherries and  we liked the recipe so much I made it again using fresh blueberries. Peach will be next! I prefer tart cherries so I want to make this again using tart cherries if I can find them next month. Cherry and blueberry are both wonderful. I adapted this from a recipe on a blog called “Busy at Home”. I cut back on the sugar but if you like it sweeter you can add more.

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INGREDIENTS

For the fruit:
  • 3 lbs pitted sweet cherries (or 3 pints of blueberries)
  • juice of 1 lemon (1/4 cup)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 T. cornstarch
For the Biscuit Topping:
  • ¾ cup cold butter
  • 2 cups flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 t. baking powder
  • 1 cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Stir together the cornstarch, 2 cups of sugar and lemon juice. Pour over the fruit and stir to be sure the fruit is evenly coated. Pour into an ungreased, 9×13 baking dish.

Mix up the cobbler topping by first combining the flour, sugar and baking powder.

Cut in the butter until it is incorporated and creates coarse crumbs.

Stir in the cream with a fork, stirring only until all the dry ingredients are moistened and a loose shaggy dough has formed.

Plop pieces of dough, evenly, over the fruit in the baking dish, until all the dough has been used.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and the juices are bubbling around the edges of the biscuit topping.

Serve with vanilla ice cream for added yumminess!