blueberry, spelt, and oat scones.

If you are fortunate enough to find yourself invited to someone's house for the weekend, I strongly suggest you bring these.   

These are not cinnamon rolls or doughnuts or the kind of thing small children beg for.  They are not coated in sugar or filled with white flour.   They are instead the kind of scone I've always wanted.  Nutty, dense, and packed full of ingreadients that leave you full but not heavy.   They still taste good on day 3 (especially if you wrap them in tin foil and reheat for about 10 minutes in a 300 degree oven).   They have seasonal fruit and almond butter and can be baked directly from the freezer which is a good thing if you find yourself getting invited to the Hamptons, Jersey Shore, or somewhere else at the very last minute.   



Blueberry, Spelt, and Oat Scones
Recipe from the Violet Bakery Cookbook

2 cups whole grain spelt flour, plus more for rolling
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice or lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange zest or lemon zest
4 heaped tablespoons (about 3.5 oz.) almond butter
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To make the scones, whisk together the spelt flour, oat flour, sea salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the agave and maple syrup, the orange juice and zest and the almond butter. Pour in the melted coconut oil and whisk together. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients along with the blueberries. Mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined.

Allow the dough to rest for five minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle about 1 1/2-inch thick. Cut the rectangle into 12 triangles (I usually cut into 6 "squares" and then cut each square in half on the diagonal).  Chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake the scones for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly golden. Serve immediately or let cool and freeze.  They are good from the freezer and reheated. 

coconut, almond, and blueberry cake.

The snow will just not stop.   I always imagined that I could live in a place (like Alaska or northern Maine) where winter truly existed for 6 months of the year but I've come to realize after I am not cut out for that life. It takes a truly special kind of person to live there.  Someone who is capable of not wanting to burn their snow jacket by the end of March.   

SO! If you're in need of a little bit of summer sunshine and looking for a remarkably easy cooking project on this snow day, this is the cake for you (especially if you are blessed with a freezer stash of last summer's blueberries).   This cake bakes up with a pudding-like consistency that makes me feel as if I am getting the best of two deserts in one.   The edges of the cake are firm but as you move towards the center it's soft and almost custardy with pockets of jammy blueberries throughout.   The coconut is not a typical addition but it really adds a nice textural punch and flavor to the cake.  I couldn't help but tweak and add some ground ginger because I love nothing more then the combination of lemon+ginger+almonds.   It's not necessary but it adds another flavor dimension that works.   

Here's to spring (hopefully) coming.   

Coconut, Almond, and Blueberry Cake

Recipe from Sweet: Desserts from London's Ottolenghi 

The original recipe called for 1 1/4 cups of sugar which seemed like more sugar then needed.  I dialed it back to about 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons and think I could go to 3/4 cup next time.  I've listed a range below.

I also dialed back the butter to 3/4 of a cup (from 3/4 + 2 tbsp) because I hate having random amounts of butter left.  There didn't seem to be any ill-affects from doing this so feel free to do the same!

12/3 cup /180g ground almonds/ almond flour

2/3 cup / 60g desiccated coconut

3/4 -  1 cup /150 - 200 g granulated sugar  

½ cup plus 1 tbsp/70g all-purpose flour

¾ tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground ginger

4 large eggs

¾ cup/173 g unsalted butter melted and cooled

1½ tsp vanilla extract

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 

1 1/2 cups/225 grams blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup/ 20g flaked almonds

Grease and line a 23cm/9-inch spring form cake pan. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.

In a mixing bowl add he almonds, coconut, sugar, flour, ginger, and salt and whisk to aerate and remove the lumps.

In another bowl add eggs and whisk lightly. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract and lemon zest and whisk again until well combined. Pour this into the dry mix and whisk to combine. Fold in 1 cup of the blueberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and then top with rest of the batter.  Scatter the remaining blueberries on top.   

Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Keep a close eye on it towards the end of cooking.

Set aside for 30 minutes before inverting out of the tin, removing the baking parchment and placing the cake the right way up on a serving plate. It can either be served warm with cream or set aside until cool.

This will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil. It also freezes well for up to a month.

blueberry-buttermilk pie bars.

Now that we are in the throes of summer (and the proud owners of a balcony) we’ve been eating a lot of meals outdoors.  We bring Jackson’s dog bed outside so he can join us.  Jackson sits quietly and watches his surroundings.  As the meal nears the end he gets up to rest his head on my lap; waiting for the opportunity to lick the plate clean or get a some scraps of whatever it is that we are eating.   Being able to eat outdoors makes weekday dinners feel like a mini-vacation.  

Our new surroundings has also encouraged me to prepare meals that feel like picnics.   I’ve always had a fondness for meals composed of assorted things but in the summer it feels all the more appropriate.  Some kind of quick and easy salad with whatever produce is new that week (snap peas with radish and tahini dressing has been our recent favorite), a couple of cheeses from our local cheese shop, a piece of a baguette, and perhaps some sausage, leftover chicken, or prosciutto.   Depending on our mood and the day of week, we round out the meal with a beer or a glass of wine.   Meals like this are how I love to eat.   

We finish these meals with dessert (this is me after all).  The farmer’s market fruit has been out of control good this year and I’ve been eating so much of it – a lot of it by the handful but an equally large amount has been baked in crisps, crumbles, and pie bars (my favorite).   These blueberry-buttermilk pie bars have been a favorite around here.   More tangy they sweet and perfectly portable – they are the dream dessert for lazy July days and nights.     

Blueberry-Buttermilk Pie Bars
Recipe from Dorie's Cookies 

I don't doubt these would be really good with halved cherries instead of blueberries.   

For the Crust

3/4 cup (102 grams) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (67 grams) sugar
1/4 cup (33 grams) cornmeal (not coarse)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

For the Topping

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 30 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup (150 grams) fresh blueberries (though I nudged this up to 1 1/2 cups)

To make the crust: Have an 8-inch square baking pan at hand.

Put the flour, sugar, cornmeal, cornstarch and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Drop in the chunks of butter and work in long pulses — about dozen or so — until you have a moist dough that forms curds. Turn the dough out into the baking pan and use your fingertips to press it evenly into the pan. Put the pan in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven (it needs a short chill before baking).

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F.

Bake the crust for 23 to 25 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Even though the crust will be baked again with the topping, it needs to be thoroughly baked now, so err on the side of more golden rather than less. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the crust to cool completely.

If you’ve turned off the oven, return it to 350 degrees F.

To make the topping: Spoon the cornstarch into a small bowl and pour over 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves; this is a slurry, which will thicken the custard.

Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until foamy. Add the sugar and immediately start whisking vigorously (you must beat sugar and eggs together quickly, or the sugar will “burn” the yolks and cause a film to form). Whisk in the salt and vanilla, then whisk in the slurry. When the slurry is fully incorporated, stir in the remainder of the buttermilk, followed by the melted butter. Scatter the blueberries over the crust and then pour on the topping. The blueberries will shift — they’ve got nothing to hold on to — so try to even them out by poking them with your fingers or a spoon; but give up if it’s not happening.

Bake the bars for 42 to 45 minutes, until the topping is puffed all the way to the center, brown around the edges and firm everywhere. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 20 minutes. Carefully run a table knife around the edges of the pan, place a piece of parchment paper over the pan and unmold the bar onto a rack. Remove the pan and invert the bar onto another rack to cool to room temperature; chill if you’d like. Just before serving, slide the bar onto a cutting board and, using a long, thin knife, cut 2-inch squares.

Storing: Covered and kept away from foods with strong odors, the bars will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator. However, like “real” pies, these are best the day they are made.

triple coconut muffins.

In an effort to enliven my daily breakfast routine of oatmeal or granola with yogurt, I've started to dive into the world of muffins.  Muffins can fall into one of two camps - cake disguised as breakfast (I'm looking at you double chocolate strussel muffin) and those dense, devoid of flavor (but healthy!) hockey pucks that are labeled (in my opinion incorrectly) as muffins.  Neither of them really feel like a muffin to me.  A muffin shouldn't be dessert (even if I wish it were) and eating one shouldn't feel like punishment.  They should be flavorful and filled with all sorts of good for you things (namely fruit and whole grains).  They should be easy to prepare, freeze easily (for those mornings when you need something quick), and above all they should be good.  Really good. 

This, is my perfect breakfast muffin (it doesn't hurt that it tastes like a tropical vacation).   Chock-full of all my favorite flavors (coconut, banana, and blueberry) and filled with wholesome grains it's the kind of thing that will (at least help) get you out of bed in the morning.  And on cold, snowy-mix, still dark out mornings, we need all the help we can get.   


Triple Coconut Muffins
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

I realized while writing this you could make them quadruple coconut muffins if you use coconut sugar!  Haven't tried this yet but I imagine it would be delightful.  Also - If you are looking for a little extra protein, a tablespoon or two of ground flaxseed would be a great addition.   

Yield: 10 standard muffins

1/2 cup (110 grams) virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup (95 grams) spelt flour (or all-purpose)
1/2 cup (60 grams) whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (230 grams) full fat coconut milk, at room temperature 
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated sugar 
1 large egg, at room temperature is best
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 large (VERY ripe banana) smashed (or pureed in the blender)
3/4 cup (90 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut, divided
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 375°F. Either grease 10 muffin cups with butter or coconut oil, or line them with papers.

In a small saucepan, warm your coconut oil just until it melts. It should still be on the cool side.

In a medium bowl, whisk together your flours, baking powder and salt. Stir 1/2 cup shredded coconut. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, coconut oil, coconut milk, vanilla, and banana. Stir into dry ingredients until just combined.  Stir in blueberries. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups then sprinkle the top with remaining 1/4 cup coconut, about 1 to 2 teaspoons on each.

Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out batter-free, about 20 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack and let cool.

Do ahead: Usually, muffins are best on day one but I just had one of these on day three and found them almost as moist and tender as day one. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

cherry and blueberry buckle.

When we were in the depths of winter,  I went through the archives of my favorite food blogs (and some new ones) bookmarking recipes for when summer finally showed up.  There were recipes for roasted tomato tarts and grilled potatoes with mustardy vinaigrette.   There were minty sugar snap pea salads and fruit-filled cakes galore. 

So many fruit cakes.

As evidenced by the current state of refrigerator, I get a little trigger happy around farmers markets this time of year.  It's hard to walk past rows upon rows of cherries and blueberries and raspberries and not immediately gather up as much fruit as your arms can carry.  Our freezer is already bursting with rhubarb and strawberries. Our fridge is no better.  And while I've been doing my part to consume it as fast as I purchase it, there are only so many bowls of raspberries I can eat stirred into yogurt and drizzle with maple syrup.  

This is where a good buckle recipe comes in.

My love affair with fruit-filled strussel topped rustic cakes that can be severed with a dusting of powdered sugar or a spoonful of vanilla ice cream knows no bounds.  Actually, I find it to be growing exponentially.  This cake is my new favorite version (and will probably be included in my 4th of July menu).  Bake it as soon as you can.  Studded with fruit that bakes down into pockets of jammey summer wonderfulness it's positively addicting especially when paired with a crunchy, spiced, and subtly sweet strussel topping.  You'll be the hero at your next BBQ if you bring this.     

Cherry and Blueberry Buckle

Recipe from Bon Appetit and Seven Spoons

Once again the baking time on this recipe seemed exceptionally long.  Original recipe called for 75-90 minutes of baking.  I baked in what I think was a 9 inch pan and for about 60 minutes.  In an 8 inch pan it may require the longer time.  I would start checking it at 45 minutes.   

Feel free to use all blueberries or all cherries if you choose.  Though I find the cherry/blueberry combo to be brilliant that is until I get my hands on wild Maine blueberries and then all bets are off.   

For the Topping

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (32 g) all-purpose flour (I swapped this for graham flour because I had some on hand)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, cold and diced

For the Cake

¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan

1 ½ cups (191 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar

1 egg, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or seeds scraped from a vanilla bean

¼ teaspoon almond extract

½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

10 ounces (283 g) pitted cherries; a mix of tart and sweet is wonderful but just sweet would work

6 ounces (170 g) blueberries, fresh or defrosted

Start with the topping. Whisk sugar, flour, and spices in a medium bowl. Tumble in the butter cubes and rub between your fingers until the mixture is evenly damp and coming together in clumps. Set aside.

For the cake, preheat an oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease an 8 or 9-inch springform or removable bottom pan. Line the base of the pan with parchment, then grease the parchment. Dust the pan with flour, and tap out the excess.

Whisk the 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. 

In another medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, around 5 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat to combine, 2 minutes. Turn the speed down to low and gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring until mostly incorporated. Pour in the cream and stir until smooth. With a spatula, fold in the cherries and blueberries. The batter will be quite thick, and may not fold easily; as long as the fruit is somewhat stuck into the batter, all will be fine. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top. Place tin on a rimmed baking sheet, then sprinkle the topping over the batter in an even layer.

Bake in the hot oven until the buckle is golden brown and a cake tester poked into the center comes out clean, 50-80 minutes (see note above). Transfer pan to a wire rack and let the cool completely. Unmold and serve, as is, or dusted with icing sugar.

fruit-filled coffee cake.

Our freezer has turned into an arctic tundra where things go to die.  

I have the habit of throwing things in there haphazardly and then 3 months later while I am frantically searching for something I vaguely remember throwing in there, un-earthing a whole other world of items I had completely forgotten about. Homemade pesto, sausage, berries - the list goes on.  

I've spent the last couple of weeks making attempts to use what I have - to try and really get creative in the kitchen and instead of getting new things, to shop from my own cabinets and to do more with what I have.  It isn't always easy.  We are trained to constantly want new.  But, I am proud of my resourcefulness - it's forcing me to think differently.

And freezer clean-out isn't such a bad thing when it means cake! Coffee Cake nestled with berries you've had stored in your freezer for months just waiting for their time to shine.  This is one serious coffee cake with (in my opinion) the perfect ratio of tender cake to tart fruit to crunchy crumb.  It's a classic cake and one that will be on repeat this summer.  

Fruit-Filled Coffee Cake 

Recipe adapted from Lootie and Doof

The original recipe called for fresh sour cherries and while I have plans to make such a version this summer when cherries return to the market, this also works insanely well with just about any fruit.  My version was made with a combination of raspberries and cherries – but I think blueberries would be killer as well.  Rhubarb would also be grand (note to self must make rhubarb version next).    

For the topping

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for dish

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dish

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

For the cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk

2 ½ cups fresh sour cherries, blueberries, raspberries, or some combination of fruit (frozen also works incredibly well)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9-inch round baking dish,  dust with flour, tap out excess.

In a medium bowl, stir together butter, flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon, ginger, and almond extract. Set topping aside.

Whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla and almond extract.

Working in alternating batches, add flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until just combined. Pour into prepared dish, and smooth with an offset spatula. Dot top with fruit, and sprinkle with crumb topping.

Bake until golden and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool before cutting.  

buckwheat buttermilk pancakes with blueberry compote.

Sunday called for pancakes.  

And not just any pancakes but buckwheat pancakes (insanely nutty and utterly addicting) covered in homemade blueberry compote (from the last of this past summer's freezer berries) and maple syrup.   We ate them in sweatpants while watching the Sunday Morning food shows.  It was a perfect morning.  

I know at some point here Spring will come and with it our weekends of hibernation will end.  But, there was something incredibly cozy about this winter and how it seemingly never wanted to end.  It was a nice way to start a marriage - holed up indoors with stacks of books and magazines, a plethora of good TV, and lots of comfort food.  I know things wont always be so easy and effortless (I don't know how I've been so lucky so far) but I'm thankful for the fact that most of the time it is.       

Easy like Sunday morning.   

Buckwheat Buttermilk Pancakes
Recipe from Anson Mills 

Serves 2 as written below.  The original serves 4 and can be found on the Anson Mills site.  

3 tablespoons unsalted European-style butter

½ cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk

2 ounces (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) buckwheat flour (preferably Anson Mills Rustic Aromatic Buckwheat Flour)

1.75 ounces (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose or pastry flour (or if you have it Anson Mills Colonial Style Fine Cloth-Bolted Pastry Flour)

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 large egg

  

Make the pancakes: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Pour the buttermilk into the pan with the butter to warm it slightly. Set a well-seasoned 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat to warm for about 10 minutes while you finish making the batter. The skillet is hot enough when droplets of water flicked onto its surface sizzle on contact.

  

Turn the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk the egg in a medium mixing bowl. Add the warm buttermilk mixture to the egg and whisk well to combine. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry all at once and whisk lightly to combine.

Butter or oil the hot skillet. Drop pancakes one at a time into the pan with a small ladle or ¼-cup measure—there will be room for 4 pancakes. When the pancakes are nicely browned on the bottom and have begun to bubble on the top, 2 to 3 minutes, flip the cakes and brown the other sides, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Take the pancakes from the skillet, regrease the skillet, and cook the next batch. (If the batter becomes too thick over the course of making the pancakes, thin it with a little milk.) Serve the pancakes hot off the griddle with blueberry compote and a drizzle (OK a generous pour) of maple syrup.   

Blueberry Compote

Recipe from Anson Mills

1 ½ cups fresh blueberries

1.6 ounces (scant ¼ cup) sugar

Pinch of fine sea salt

Juice of ½ a lemon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Place blueberries into a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan with the sugar, salt, lemon juice, and ginger and set over medium-low heat. Stir frequently as the blueberries begin to sizzle softly and melt. They will quickly begin to release their juices and cease sticking. Bring them to a simmer and cook until soft and saucy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. Warm slightly just before serving. 

blueberry cornmeal butter cake.

This past weekend Tyler and I took a little road trip down to the Philly area to visit one of our good friends and her boyfriend.  They just bought a house.  It has multiple floors and multiple bathrooms and SO MANY CLOSETS.  It has 3 bedrooms and a patio and kitchen big enough for a table.  It made us both feel very young and all kinds of out of sorts because when you live in a city if you get even one closet you should count yourself lucky.  

It seems this is how the other half lives.  With closets and pantry's and actual dinning room tables. Something I can only wish for.  

I made sure to arrive at the house with a cake because I know the quickest way to get invited back is to show up with gifts of sweets.  This particular cake is the ideal thing to bring to any kind of housewarming because people just eat it up.  It dense and buttery and studded with just enough blueberries that you can convince yourself you are eating something somewhat virtuous (you aren't but but I see no issues with lying to yourself).  The strussel topping provides the necessary crunch and takes this into coffee cake territory (which is a wonderful place to go). I've eaten wedges for breakfast and I also have found myself enjoying a wedge as an afternoon snack.  It's a cake that works any time of day and a cake that everyone loves and it's a cake you will find yourself making constantly.  

Blueberry Cornmeal Butter Cake  
Recipe from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Make 12 -16 servings

I have made this cake so many times it scares me.  The cornmeal is probably the single greatest addition to blueberry coffee cake as itt provides just the right amount of textural contrast (and superb flavor).  I promise you will love it too. I will cough up to the fact that my blueberries sink to the bottom of the cake almost every time I make this.  I blame myself.  If your's does the same don't be sad.  It still tastes absurdly amazing.  

For the Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

1/3 cup sour cream

2 cups blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

For the Strussel Topping

½ cup sugar

6 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoon cornmeal

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, COLD and cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350*.

Line the bottom of an 8x8" square pan with parchment paper, and then coat the parchment paper and sides with nonstick cooking spray. Wipe the cooking spray to evenly spread and to ensure it gets in all of the corners, thoroughly coating the bottom and sides.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, for at least 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition, then add the vanilla and zest.

Then add a third of the flour mixture, all of the sour cream, and another third of the flour mixture - beating until just blended after each addition.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix the remaining third of flour mixture with the blueberries. Gently fold the blueberry-flour mixture into the cake batter.

Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan.

For the streusel topping, combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mash in the cold butter pieces with a fork, your fingertips, or pastry blender. Scatter the topping evenly over the batter.

Bake the cake about 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a knife or spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake, then flip out onto a wire cooling rack (flipping again to make it right-side-up).

Store in a covered container. If keeping for more than 24 hours, refrigerate in a covered container.

blueberry shortbread bars.

As someone who is getting married fairly soon (less then 5 months ech!), I've had many people asking me about gifts and what we want.  I am terrible at answering such a question because I don't like telling people to buy me things.  Doing so feels entirely too awkward.  But then people insist which is extremely generous of them to do and then I am left trying to come up with something that is both practical and meaningful and awesome.  

(I am not someone who should be left in charge of picking practical presents.)

Tyler and I have lived together for just about 7 years (where did time go?) and during that time we amassed a lot things. Many of the traditional items that couples register for don't really apply to us.  Sure there are things we could upgrade (a new non-white bath mat would be pretty awesome since we have manged to destroy ours), but other then that we are pretty content with what we have. So I've decided the best thing we can be given is food because as far as I can tell we will always need to eat. Preferably a flat of Maine wild blueberries (or if you can't get your hands on wild blueberries I will settle for regular blueberries), sour cherries, and/or blackberries.  I will eat this fruit by the handful, then I will make pie, and then I will make jam, and then I will make a plethora of these shortbread bars that I will store in the freezer and save for when we have run out of fruit. Best. Present. Ever.

Blueberry Shortbread Bars 

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

The original recipe called for peaches and the peach version is awesome but blueberries are in season now so blueberries I will eat.  As you can tell, this can be adapted with any old fruit, I have visions of cherries (with some almond extract!) next.  God I love this time of year.  

For the bars

1/2 cup (3.5 ounces or 100 grams) white sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons (6 1/2 ounces or 180 grams) cups all-purpose flour or 1 cup all-purpose and 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons rye or whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces or 113 grams) cold unsalted butter
Zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg

For the berries

2 cups blueberries

1 teaspoon cornstarch
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Brown your butter: Melt butter in a small/medium saucepan over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Keep your eyes on it; it burns very quickly after it browns and the very second that you turn around to do something else. Set it in the freezer until solid (about 30 minutes).

In a bowl toss the blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice, sugar, and ginger.  Set aside.  

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 8×8 inch pan, or spray it with a nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, baking powder, flour, spices, salt, and lemon zest with a whisk. Use a pastry blender, fork or your fingertips, blend the solidified brown butter and egg into the flour mixture. It will be crumbly. Pat 3/4 of the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing firmly. Pour the blueberries over the crumb base in a single layer. Scatter remaining crumbs evenly over peaches and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until top is slightly brown and you can see a little color around the edges. Cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

blueberry crumble pie.

My better half was born and raised in Maine which means he has a strong affinity for hockey, swimming in lakes, lobster and corn on the cob, and any all things involving blueberries.  Maine takes their blueberries very seriously (they have a special breed of blueberries called wild blueberries that puts the blueberries from New York to shame I would know because I've been known to eat them pints at a time). The boy also takes his blueberries very seriously, so when a pie was requested by him once blueberry season arrived on the East Coast, I knew I had my work cut out for me.  

Making food for someone when they request it specifically is a daunting task, it usually stresses me out to no end.  I live in fear of giving someone a version of a dish that doesn't meet their expectations.  The horror!  Thankfully after dating someone for so long you tend to know their preferences better then your own (like their strong aversion for anything involving blue cheese and toasted sliced almonds).  This pie is an ode to the boy.  A buttery, flaky crust encapsulates a sweet blueberry filling that is elevated by the addition of lemon zest (some how the zest really brings out the flavor of the fruit).  The pie is topped with a spiced strussel to bring some extra zing and crunch to the pie (and let's be honest adding ginger and diced almonds is always a good idea when in the presence of blueberries).  The plate was licked clean which I am going to take as a good sign.  

Blueberry Crumble Pie

Crust recipe from Recipe from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Filling and strussel recipe adapted a great deal from Bon Appetit 

For the Crust (makes enough dough for one double or two single crust pies or you can halve it)

2 ½ cups (315 grams) flour

1 tablespoons (15 grams) sugar

1 teaspoon (5 grams) table salt

2 sticks (8 ounces, 225 grams, or 1 cup) unsalted butter, very cold

For the Filling

5 cups of blueberries

2/3 cup sugar

Zest of 1 lemon and juice of half a lemon

2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the Strussel

1/4 cup almonds toasted and coarsely chopped

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt 

5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly

To make the dough - Gather your ingredients: Fill a one cup liquid measuring cup with water, and drop in a few ice cubes; set it aside. In a large bowl — I like to use a very wide one, so I can get my hands in — whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt. Dice two sticks (8 ounces or 1 cup) of very cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch pieces. Get out your pastry blender.

Make your mix: Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour and begin working them in with the pastry blender, using it to scoop and redistribute the mixture as needed so all parts are worked evenly. When all of the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas — this won’t take long — stop. Yes, even if it looks uneven; you’ll thank me later.

Glue it together: Start by drizzling 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the ice-cold water (but not the cubes, if there are any left!) over the butter and flour mixture. Using a rubber or silicon spatula, gather the dough together. You’ll probably need an additional 1/4 cup (60 ml) of cold water to bring it together, but add it a tablespoon as a time. Once you’re pulling large clumps with the spatula, take it out and get your hands in there (see how that big bowl comes in handy?). Gather the disparate damp clumps together into one mound, kneading them gently together.

Pack it up: Divide the dough in half, and place each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. I like to use the sides to pull in the dough and shape it into a disk. Let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour, but preferably at least two, before rolling it out.

Do ahead: Dough will keep in the fridge for about a week, and in the freezer longer. If not using it that day, wrap it in additional layers of plastic wrap to protect it from fridge/freezer smells. To defrost your dough, move it to the fridge for one day before using it.

To make the pie:  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13" round. Transfer to pie dish, gently pressing dough onto bottom and up sides of dish. Fold overhang under and crimp edges decoratively. Pierce bottom of crust in several places with a fork, then chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  

Combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, and juice in a bowl about 30 minutes before baking.  You may need to stab some of the blueberries with a fork to get them to release some juices.  After 30 minutes add in the cornstarch to thicken the juices.  

Line crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove parchment and pie weights. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 12 minutes longer. Transfer crust to a wire rack; let cool.

Make the strussel: Combine the almonds, flour, cinnamon, ginger, sugar, and salt in a bowl.  Pour the melted butter over it and mix topping with fingertips until blended and clumps form.  

To assemble the pie: Pour the blueberries into the cooled crust and spread it out so it forms an even layer.  Sprinkle topping over the blueberry filling.  Bake pie until filling is bubbling and topping is golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cover with foil after 30 minutes if browning too fast.

Let pie cool on a wire rack.