Tea Time Tuesday: Blueberries

This week Sandy from Quilting From The Rest Of Us chose blueberries as our theme.  Head on over to her blog and you can learn about some awesome blueberry tea.  I personally love blueberry tea. Pour me a up Sandy!

I feel like I should write an ode to blueberries because they are so much a part of my life.  Every year we cant wait to go picking blueberries.  We have made a picnic out of blueberry picking for at least 11 years.   This weeks "flavor" is extra special to me.

I did not make any scones this week out of blueberries. I just plain ran out of time but I am going to show you three of my favorite blueberry recipes that are from the past.  They have been made more than once in this house.

The first is blueberry tart.  This tart is slammin' jammin' blueberry rich.  It has kind of a blueberry jam beneath and then fresh blueberries on top.  It's SOOOOO good.


Blueberry Tart 
Longbotham, Lori. 'Luscious Berry Desserts'. Chronicle Books. San Francisco: 2006.

Recipe found here at Joy of Baking

Pastry:

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt

2 tablespoon (25 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 - 2 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) all purpose flour

Garnish:

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar

Pastry: In your food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). In a small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla. Then gradually pour in a steady stream, with the motor running, through the feed tube until the pastry just holds together when pinched. Add water, if necessary. Do not process more than about 30 seconds.

Transfer the pastry to an 11 inch (28 cm) fluted tart pan, and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Cover and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the blueberry topping.

Preheat the oven to 425 degree F (220 degree C).

In a large bowl combine the sugar and flour. Add 2 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries and toss to coat. Remove the chilled pastry from the refrigerator and evenly pour in the blueberries and sugar/flour mixture. Place the tart pan on a large baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and continue to bake until the pastry is golden brown (about 30 - 35 minutes). (Halfway through the baking time, stir the berries if there is any flour on them.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Top with the remaining 2 1/2 cups of blueberries (crown side up), pressing them gently into the hot blueberry jam. I like to make concentric circles with the blueberries, starting at the outside edge. Let the tart cool to room temperature before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with softly whipped cream or ice cream. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Makes one - 11 inch (28 cm) tart.

This one is a huge pain to make but well worth it.

Fruit Squares
My Great Aunt was apparently a caterer. This recipe comes from her.  This recipe is one of the things she use to serve.

3/4 cup lard or vegetable shortening
4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

filling of our choice (you can make your won or buy the canned pie filling)

In a large bowl beat shortening/lard with sugar.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla.  In another bowl combine flour, salt and baking powder.  Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.

After dough chills, roll out half of dough and lay in an ungreased 15-x10-inch baking sheet. Spread pie filling over it.  Roll out remaining half and place over filling or you can make a lattice top by cutting in strips and laying over top of filling, pinching the edges as you go.Roll out dough between wax paper.  It is very sticky. If you want to make your life a little easier, chill the dough for 20 minutes before pulling the wax paper off.  Place dough on jelly roll pan about 10 x 15. Bake at 350F until golden and pulling away from the sides a little, about 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or squares.

And finally this one. Can if in the summer and enjoy it all winter long.  We did!  Pour this all over your crumpets...

Blueberry Syrup

Ball Canning Recipe here.

8 cups blueberries, crushed (about 3-1/2 lb)
6 cups water, divided
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Place blueberries, 2 cups of the water and lemon zest in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and boil gently for 5 minutes.

Pour into a strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth set over a deep bowl. Let drip, undisturbed, for at least 2 hours.

When ready, heat water canner to boiling. Heat jars in warm water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.

Mix sugar and remaining 4 cups water in a clean large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, and cook until temperature reaches 230°F, adjusting for altitude. Add blueberry juice. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Using a large measuring cup pour hot blueberry syrup into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes*, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

*Please remember to not time your canner until it is boiling.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Tart

It's been an interesting gluten free journey.  I'm back to being gluten free.  I feel silly going back and forth.  I think my friends might think its all in my head or I don't know what I am talking about.  I want to go to the doctors and get checked for gluten allergies and Celiac disease.  But there are two things that prevent me.  One is money, since we pretty much pay the full shot for everything these days.  I hardly think it is worth it since nothing really changes- I still would be gluten free. Secondly, getting tested for gluten sensitivity or Celiac means that I have to start eating it again.  This means all of the symptoms that I get will return and that is no picnic.  Waking up in the morning with my joints aching, numbness in my hands, swelling of all my joints, blood pressure going up, metallic taste in my mouth (immediately when I eat a gluten product, bathroom problems and a few others that I will not get into.

The thing of it is, they don't always see a gluten allergy either. 

For a while in between the last time I quit gluten I went back to eating it.  Not a lot, I kept it to a minimum most days.  But all my symptoms started coming back.  I knew I needed to make a change.

Obviously, some of the other changes I am making is watching my calories.  I am definitely not at a speed course for losing weight.  I reduced my calories a little, a livable amount.  I am still exercising and really kind of amped that up to a more aerobic level (lots of jumping).  With all of this, I lose about a pound a week.  No big deal really, but this would mean 50 some pounds at the end of the year and that would be a very welcome change.

I made this pumpkin tart a few weeks ago.  We loved it.  Everyone.  The only thing I would change next time is to make the crust thinner.  Make two tarts with the dough or halve the dough part of the recipe.  I will write the recipe with the original amount and if you make it, you can decide how much dough you want to make.

Calorie wise you really need to reduce the dough if you want a "leaner" piece.  This particular size slice is about 420 calories.  If I am going to have 420 calories of a dessert, I need something more... chocolaty, if you know what I mean.  Something more gooey. Now, if I reduced the dough and this widdled down to about 300 calories, then, yes, I would eat it again.  It's that good- 300 calorie good.  But then I am a pumpkin fiend.  If you go to Pinterest and find me (button upper right) you will see that I have a whole file dedicated to pumpkin.  It's called Pumpkin Palooza.

Pumpkin Tart
Original recipe found here at Land O Lakes®.

Topping
1/4 cup oatmeal (quick cooking)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter, softened

Crust
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend

Filling
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Heat oven to 375°F. Prepare a tart pan by greasing it.

Combine all topping ingredients in bowl; mix with fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Combine 3/4 cup butter and cream cheese in another bowl; beat at medium speed until well mixed. Add gluten-free flour blend; continue beating until dough forms.

Press dough onto bottom and up sides of tart pan.

Combine all filling ingredients in bowl.  Whisk until smooth. Pour into unbaked tart shell.  Sprinkle with topping. 

Place in preheated oven. Bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown and set. Cool 5 minutes in pans; run small sharp knife around inside edge of cups to loosen tarts. Place on cooling rack. 

Blueberry Tart

We had our annual blueberry picking expedition last week.  And oh the blueberries were amazing.  I froze a good amount of them but definitely left some to eat by the handfuls and a dessert or two. This was a really delicious tart recipe that I found on Joy Of Baking- a great site.  This tart does not disappoint.  The middle layer - you can't really see it- is a baked blueberry filling that ends up tasting a lot like jam.  Once you bring this out of the oven you press the fresh blueberries into it. So you get a creamy middle with the taste of fresh berries in every bite. Brilliant!

Blueberry Tart
Longbotham, Lori. 'Luscious Berry Desserts'. Chronicle Books. San Francisco: 2006.

Recipe found here at Joy of Baking

 

Pastry:

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt

2 tablespoon (25 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 - 2 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) all purpose flour

Garnish:

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar

Pastry: In your food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). In a small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla. Then gradually pour in a steady stream, with the motor running, through the feed tube until the pastry just holds together when pinched. Add water, if necessary. Do not process more than about 30 seconds.

Transfer the pastry to an 11 inch (28 cm) fluted tart pan, and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Cover and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the blueberry topping.

Preheat the oven to 425 degree F (220 degree C).

In a large bowl combine the sugar and flour. Add 2 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries and toss to coat. Remove the chilled pastry from the refrigerator and evenly pour in the blueberries and sugar/flour mixture. Place the tart pan on a large baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and continue to bake until the pastry is golden brown (about 30 - 35 minutes). (Halfway through the baking time, stir the berries if there is any flour on them.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Top with the remaining 2 1/2 cups of blueberries (crown side up), pressing them gently into the hot blueberry jam. I like to make concentric circles with the blueberries, starting at the outside edge. Let the tart cool to room temperature before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with softly whipped cream or ice cream. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Makes one - 11 inch (28 cm) tart.

 

Apricot Tart

With company in and some cooler temps and some fresh fruit- it was the perfect time to make a tart.  If you are expecting sweet - don't make this tart.  We like desserts that are lower in sugar (except my kids of course).  Sprinkle confectioners over top if you like.  We thought it was perfect.

We took a ride to Letchworth State Park.  It was a beautiful day for being at the park.  We have spent many a days picnicking there. Lots of reunions visiting there.  Days spent with my cousins in from out of the town exploring the area. Lots of dates (in my single days, of course) there at the park as well. It holds significant meaning there and fond memories. Here are a few pics of the beauty you can find there.

Apricot Tart
Adapted from this recipe at Tartelette.

6 to 10 apricots, pitted and halved

pastry crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
1 to 2 tablespoons water

filling:
8 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup honey
1 cup almond meal or ground almonds
2 eggs
1/4 cup half and half

In a processor or with a pastry blender combine flour and salt, stir.  Work in butter.  If using a processor drop by pats into the flour as the machine is running.  Add in egg yolks and then a couple tablespoons of water (or a little more, depending on the humidity in the air). As soon as the dough forms a ball turn off the processor.  Gather all into a ball and place in plastic wrap, form into a disc and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to a couple days.

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll in between sheets of plastic wrap to make a large circular shape to fit your tart pan (or square, rectangle- whatever you have).  If dough should tear, repair with bits of dough from edges.

Pierce dough with fork tines repeatedly. Fill with beans or pie weights and bake in a 350 oven for fifteen minutes. Remove.

In a large bowl beat butter and honey, add in eggs one at a time.  Add in almond meal. Remove beaters and gently stir in half and half.

Arrange apricot halves over tart crust and then pour filling over top.  Bake in a 350 oven for 30 to 35 minutes.