Sunday Dinner Dessert – Blueberry Crumb Cake

Since my 85 years have started to catch up with me, I don’t cook as often, particularly experimenting with new recipes that I can share. I do still cook the family holiday meals, though, and every Sunday fix lunch for my two daughters which features a favorite recipe and is followed by 3 hours of various kinds of needlework and chatting. For these lunches, I always make something they especially like from my blogs of over 10 years and I thought it might be fun to share my Sunday desserts each week.

Our Sunday dessert this week is taking advantage of the wonderful blueberries available at our farm market and making use of a recipe that has been a favorite since 1995.  It’s an easy cake to put together and always so good.  The optional topping just adds an extra halo.  From my 2013 post:  https://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2013/07/05/blueberry-yogurt-crumb-cake/

Blueberry Yogurt Crumb Cake

• Servings: 6 to 8
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2-½ cups (1 pt.) blueberries, divided
½ tsp grated lemon peel
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup (1-½ sticks) butter
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup blueberry yogurt (two 4 oz. packets)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Butter 10-inch baking dish or 10-inch spring form pan.

In a medium bowl, toss berries with lemon peel. Set aside

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour with sugar. Cut in butter. Set 1-½ cups of this mixture aside for crumb topping.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ¼ cup flour with soda. Add to mealy mixture in large bowl and rub in.

In the same small bowl, beat egg lightly. Stir in yogurt and lemon juice. Add to dry ingredients in large bowl and stir briefly with wooden spoon until blended. Fold in 1 cup blueberries.

Spread batter in prepared pan and scatter remaining blueberries on top.

Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake @ 400 degrees F approximately 45-60 minutes or until top is lightly browned and a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Delicious plain or with the following tangy yogurt cream on the side.

YOGURT CREAM

2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup of blueberry yogurt (4 oz. packet)

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate covered at least 30 minutes before serving.

Also served:  Buttered corn-on-the-cob and spicy Sirloin strips with homemade soft wrap bread – the bread recipe from my 2011 post is here:  https://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/good-soft-wrap-bread/

 

Sunday Dessert – Blueberry-Peach Pie

Since my 85 years have started to catch up with me, I don’t cook as often, particularly experimenting with new recipes that I can share. I do still cook the family holiday meals, though, and every Sunday fix lunch for my two daughters which features a favorite recipe and is followed by 3 hours of various kinds of needlework and chatting. For these lunches, I always make something they especially like from my blogs of over 10 years and I thought it might be fun to share my Sunday desserts each week.

This week at the farm market we found peaches and Michigan blueberries, so our Sunday dessert was Blueberry-Peach Pie, a county fair Best of Show winner for me in 1988. The combination of these two fresh fruits is great and my daughters love this pie when I can manage to get both peaches and blueberries super-fresh. The frozen fruit just doesn’t work as well. From my 2007 post:

https://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/prize-winning-blueberry-peach-pie/

Blueberry-Peach Pie

• Servings: 9-inch pie - 6-to 8 servings
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4 cups fresh peach slices (peeled)

2 Tblsp. butter

1 cup fresh blueberries

2 Tblsp. fresh lemon juice

1 cup sugar

2 Tblsp. quick tapioca

pinch salt
1 Tblsp. butter

Pastry for two-crust 9” pie (my favorite recipe is here: https://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2007/11/15/my-sure-fire-pie-crust/

1 Tblsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Saute peaches in 2 Tblsp. butter, add blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, tapioca and salt. Let stand while making crust. Place crust in 9-inch pie plate. Fill crust with fruit mixture, dot with 1 Tblsp. butter, put on top crust and flute edges. Brush top crust with milk and cut vents in top crust. Bake @ 375 degrees F for approximately 45 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Also served: Corn-on-the-Cob and Balsamic Chicken and Mac Salad, found in my 2015 post: https://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/balsamic-chicken-and-mac-salad/

The white balsamic vinegar makes a nice, subtle change in flavor in the salad.

 

Blueberry Streusel Kuchen

I had some beautiful farm market blueberries and decided to go to my favorite kuchen recipe which is adapted from a German version.  The original recipe called for quark, but I used ricotta.  Sour cream or yogurt will also work fine.  The cake base is covered with an easy, cooked blueberry sauce …. …and topped with a delicious streusel … This makes a lovely breakfast or dessert cake, served warm or room temperature.

• Servings: 6
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Blueberry topping

• 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tblsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. water
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Kuchen

• 3 Tblsp. canola oil
• 3 Tblsp. ricotta cheese, yogurt or sour cream
• 3 Tblsp. milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup plus
• 2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour

Streusel

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tblsp. light brown sugar
• 2 Tblsp. granulated sugar
• 2 Tblsp. butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray or grease an 8-inch baking pan

To make blueberry topping: In a medium saucepan, place blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch and water.  Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved and mixture just begins to bubble.  Remove from heat – stir in vanilla.   Set aside.

To make kuchen: In a medium bowl, place the oil, ricotta/sour cream, milk, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Whisk until blended.  Stir in flour just until mixed well.  Batter will be thick – spread batter in prepared 8-inch pan, using fingertips dampened with water to push the batter in place.

To make streusel: In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar and granulated sugar.  Mix in the butter until mixture is blended. Spread the reserved blueberry mixture on top of the batter and then cover with streusel. Bake @ 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes until cake is browned on edges and beginning to brown on top. Serve warm or room temperature.  Yield:  6 servings

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Squares

I was rearranging things in the freezer and was surprised to find a container of blueberries from this past June – the best blueberries I’ve ever tasted.  I needed room in the freezer and I needed a Sunday dessert so I looked on the internet for something different.  This recipe is adapted from one on All Recipes.com.  It is a rather light dessert with the good flavor of the blueberries shining through.

• Servings: 9
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Cake Layer

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup milk
• ½ tsp. lemon extract
• ½ tsp. grated lemon peel

• 1 1/2 cups blueberries

Ricotta Layer

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 15 oz. package of ricotta cheese (approximately 1-½ cups)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, place sugar, egg and softened butter; beat for one minute.  Add flour, baking powder, salt, milk, lemon extract and lemon peel; beat for one minute at low speed and one minute on medium speed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly. Sprinkle blueberries over the batter.

In a medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs until light and fluffy, add 1/3 cup of sugar and lemon extract  – whisk until smooth.  Add ricotta and whisk until all of the ricotta has been absorbed.

Spoon this mixture over the blueberries and spread evenly to cover all of the berries.

Bake @ 350 degrees F for 55 to 60 minutes until a knife inserted near the center of the pan comes out clean.

Place on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.

9 servings 

Blueberry Peach Crisp with Amaretto Cream

This recipe is adapted from one on Food Network by Giada De Laurentiis.  I used peaches rather than nectarines, as she did, because I had some gorgeous Georgia peaches from the local farm market (Blooms ‘n Berries – Loveland – near Cincinnati).  I also cut the recipe to fit it into a 9×9 pan and added a cream cheese/whipped topping/amaretto topping.  Click here for Giada’s original recipe.

• Servings: 6
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Topping

• ½ cup amaretti cookies
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tblsp. packed light brown sugr
• 3 Tblsp. granulated sugar
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup sliced almonds

Filling

• 2 Tblsp. granulated sugar
• 2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• 3 large peaches, peeled and sliced (3 cups)
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 3 Tblsp. Amaretto liqueur

Topping

• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip)
• 1 Tblsp. Amaretto liqueur

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Butter a 9×9 baking pan

To Make the Topping
Place ½ cup of amaretti cookies in a plastic bag and roll over it with a rolling pin to crush the cookies.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and amaretti cookie crumbs.  With your fingertips, rub in the butter until moist clumps form.  Add almonds.  Set aside.

To make the filling
In a large bowl, place sugar and flour – mix together to blend.  Add prepared peaches and blueberries, stir to coat with flour.  Stir in Amaretto.

Pour fruit mixture into buttered baking dish.  Cover with topping.

Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees F for approximately 45 minutes until peaches are tender and topping is browned.

Place on a rack to cool.

To make the Amaretto Cream
Place softened cream cheese, thawed frozen topping and Amaretto in a medium bowl – whisk to blend.  Makes about 2-½ cups.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut crisp into six servings and place on dessert plates.  Top with a serving of  Amaretto Cream.  Good warm, room temperature or cold.

You’ll probably have some topping leftover – it’s delicious on Jello, pound cake, pudding, etc.

6 servings 

Blueberry Yogurt Crumb Cake

I like blueberries, but the ones I usually get at the grocery store are a little bland.  I’ve had the opportunity the past two weeks  to buy some fresh-picked blueberries from a local farm (Blooms ‘n Berries in Loveland – Cincinnati area) and my impression of blueberries changed completely.  These were large berries literally bursting with a sharp, tart flavor.  I made my favorite Blueberry Pie, Blueberry Lemon Muffins,  Blueberry Jam,  Blueberry Chocolate Mousse, and Blueberry Crepes.  I saved some to freeze until the good peaches are at the farm market so I can make a Blueberry Peach Pie.    I had enough berries left to make this wonderful Blueberry Crumb Cake which I first made in 1995  In my binder I wrote:  “8/4/95 – Tried with Smitty’s blueberries (a neighbor).   Excellent.  Best blueberry cake I have tasted.”

I think the Blooms ’n Berries blueberries were even better than Smitty’s and the cake is delicious.

• Servings: 6-8
• Print

• 2-½ cups (1 pt.) blueberries, divided
• ½ tsp grated lemon peel
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup (1-½ sticks) butter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup blueberry yogurt (two 4 oz. packets)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Butter 10-inch baking dish or 10-inch spring form pan.

In a medium bowl, toss berries with lemon peel.  Set aside

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour with sugar.  Cut in butter.  Set 1-½ cups of this mixture aside for crumb topping.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ¼ cup flour with soda.  Add to mealy mixture in large bowl and rub in.

In the same small bowl, beat egg lightly.  Stir in yogurt and lemon juice.  Add to dry ingredients in large bowl and stir briefly with wooden spoon until blended.  Fold in 1 cup blueberries.

Spread batter in pan and scatter remaining blueberries on top.

Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake @ 400 degrees F approximately 45-60 minutes or until top is lightly browned and a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Delicious plain or with the following tangy yogurt cream on the side.

YOGURT CREAM

• 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip)
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of blueberry yogurt (4 oz. packet)

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until thoroughly blended.  Refrigerate covered at least 30 minutes before serving.

Blueberry Jam Crepes

I’ve had the good fortune this summer to have found the best blueberries I’ve ever tasted (Blooms ‘n Berries, Loveland – near Cincinnati).   I used a good portion of them to make some wonderful Blueberry Jam and wanted to find a way to use the jam other than on biscuits or toast (as good as that is).  I read online that a lot of people enjoy crepes with jam or jelly and thought that might make a delicious dessert.

Crepes are very easy to make.  Remember to allow an hour for the batter to rest in the refrigerator before making the crepes.  Crepes can be browned, placed in stacks with waxed paper between each crepe and refrigerated or frozen for later use.  The refrigerated and thawed crepes can be warmed in a microwave for 10-15 seconds or in a skillet.

The topping is delicious with the addition of good Greek blueberry yogurt.  It thickens the topping, adds a tang to the flavor and turns the whipped topping a beautiful light lavender color.

My daughters and I just love this dessert.

• Servings: 8 crepes - 4 servings
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Crepes

• 2 eggs, beaten well
• 1 cup milk
• 1-½ Tblsp. melted butter
• ½ tsp vanilla
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Butter for frying

Filling

• ¾ cup blueberry jam

Topping

• 1-1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip)
• 1/2 cup blueberry Greek yogurt

Garnish

• 24 blueberries, optional

To Make Topping
Stir together the whipped topping and yogurt until blended.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To Make Crepes
In a large measuring cup, place beaten eggs.  Add milk to beaten eggs, whisk in melted (cooled) butter, vanilla, salt and flour; mix until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Lightly butter a 7-inch non-stick skillet and heat to moderately hot.  Using a small measuring cup pour about ¼ cup of batter into pan and quickly swirl to coat bottom.

Brown and turn.

Allow to brown on the other side.  Remove to plate.  Spread about 1-½ Tblsp. blueberry jam down the center of crepe.

Fold crepe over from each side.

Top with a dollop of Blueberry Yogurt Topping  and a few berries, if you have them.  Serve at once.

Servings:  8 crepes 

Fresh Blueberry Jam

Our favorite farm market (Blooms ‘n Berries in Loveland – near Cincinnati) has U-pick for blueberries this summer for the first time.  My daughter hurried down to pick about 2 quarts of the most flavorful blueberries I’ve ever tasted.  My 9-year-old granddaughter ate about a quart of berries out of hand, but I still had enough to make this beautiful dark jam.  The recipe makes 9 cups of jam and I used an assortment of pint and half-pint jars (the half-pint jars destined to be gifts to some special people).

• Servings: 9 cups
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• 4 pts. blueberries (4-1/2 cups of crushed berries)
• 2 Tblsp. lemon juice
• 7 cups granulated sugar
• 2 pouches CERTO liquid pectin

Makes 9 cups of jam 

Before beginning to cook the jam, do the following:

1. Have pint and/or half-pint jars washed and sterilized.
2. Bring a boiling water canner, half-full with water, to simmer.
3. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat.
4. Measure lemon juice into small container.
5. Measure sugar into large bowl
6. Cut tops off pouches of pectin and set in a bowl.  Keep this near the stove.

Place the berries in a large bowl and crush with a potato masher.

I like to leave about half of the berries whole.

Measure 4-½ cups of the prepared berries into a large heavy-bottom pot.  Stir in lemon juice and sugar.

On high heat, stirring constantly, cook the berry mixture to a full rolling boil (bubbles completely covering the pan that do not stop bubbling when stirred).  Keeping the pot on the heat, stir in the pectin from the two pouches.

Once again, bring to a full rolling boil, cook for exactly one minute longer.  Remove from heat.  Skim off any foam with a metal spoon.

Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops.

Wipe jar rims and threads.  Cover with two-piece lids.  Screw bands tightly.

Place jars on rack in canner.  Turn up heat to medium and start timing after water begins to boil.  Process for 10 minutes.  Remove jars and place on a rack to cool.  After jars are cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger.  (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)  Let jars stand for 24 hours.  Processed, unopened jars can be stored for one year.

See this web site for good information on home canning.

Blueberry Chocolate Mousse

I got the idea for this dessert from a recipe on the Blueberry Council web site.  I changed it to suit my taste, ingredients and the way I wanted to serve it.

The mousse alone would be very good but the addition of the cookie adds a bit more richness and flavor.  My daughters and I really enjoyed it.

• Servings: 4
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• 1 cup undiluted evaporated milk, divided
• 1-¼ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
•  ½ cup milk chocolate chips (Ghirardelli)
•  4 chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreo)
•  ½ cup fresh blueberries

In a medium microwaveable bowl, place 1/3-cup evaporated milk.  Sprinkle gelatin over and stir to mix
Set aside to allow gelatin to soften for 5 minutes

Microwave on high until bubbles appear, 30 to 60 seconds
Add chocolate chips and stir until smooth then stir in remaining evaporated milk

Cover and refrigerate until the mixture starts to set.
Meanwhile, crumble half of a chocolate sandwich cookie into each of 4 dessert dishes

Set aside

Remove bowl of chocolate chip mixture from refrigerator and stir until smooth.   Fold blueberries into mousse.

Spoon mousse mixture into the four dessert dishes.  Crumble half of a chocolate sandwich cookie over the top of each dish of mousse.

Cover loosely and chill until firm, about 2 hours

4 servings 

Blueberry Rhubarb Delight (with Fig Bars)

I found the basic idea for this recipe several years ago, but changed it around quite a bit to make it easier to prepare and to use what I had on hand.  Other than 10 minutes or so it takes to slice the rhubarb (use thawed frozen rhubarb if you can find it), it’s very quick to make, delicious and a bit different from anything I’ve ever had before. The fig bars give it a unique flavor.

When I picked up the rhubarb at my local Meijer store, the young man at the checkout asked me what it was.  When I told him it was rhubarb, he asked, “Do you eat it like celery?”  I told him it was extremely tart and better cooked in a pie or dessert (like this one).

RHUBARB BLUEBERRY DELIGHT

• Servings: 4
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• 3 cups prepared fresh rhubarb (about one pound)*
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 12 fig bars (Fig Newtons)
• ½ to ¾ cup whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip) or whipped cream

*Wash and dry rhubarb and cut down the center lengthwise if thick.  Cut into pieces approximately 1-½ inches long, removing tough skin and strings.

In a medium pan, combine rhubarb, sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium low heat.  Continue to cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is tender and a sauce has formed.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Set our 4 dessert dishes.  I wanted to use my vintage two-handled bowls which measure about 1-½ inches deep x 4-¾ inches across the top.

In the bottom of each bowl, crumble one fig bar.

Top with cooled rhubarb/sauce.  Crumble a fig bar over the top of the rhubarb.

Add one tablespoon of whipped topping/cream.

Sprinkle ¼ cup of blueberries over each serving.

Crumble a fig bar over the blueberries.  Top with one tablespoon of whipped topping/cream.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Makes 4 servings