blueberry Archives - Wood & Spoon

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

I’m excited to be able to share with you all twice this week. Ever since we talked about pie crust, I’ve been trying to determine which recipe I was going to post today. I have a few pies up my sleeve but, you know, I can’t show you all my cards at once. In preparation for today, I did a little more research (read: made and consumed way too many pies) to make sure I gave you the most appropriate of appropriate pie recipes today. After much deliberation and several scoops of ice cream to make my pie tests “a la mode”, I’ve decided on a summer staple: mixed berry pie. Well, berry almond streusel pie, to be precise.

Me and the berries get along real well in the summer on account of all the farm stands and pick-your-own berry fields that have popped up here in central Alabama. Also, is there anyone who doesn’t like at least one variety of berry? I don’t think so.

Making a Mixed Berry Pie

I decided on a mix of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries for this pie, but the beauty of this recipe is that you can go any direction. Use whatever you have on hand, whatever is growing in your backyard, or whatever is BOGO at the supermarket. Once you have made the ultra-critical decision of picking your flavors, and given that you read my last post and know how to make stellar pie crust, the hardest part of making this pie is waiting for it to cool to room temperature and set up completely. No judgement here if you dive in spoon first the second it’s cool enough to shovel in to your mouth. Been there, done that.

The crumb topping on this berry almond streusel pie is a terrific alternative to making a double-crusted pie. I’ve included a photo of a double crusted pie I fixed earlier this year when I was testing dough braiding. Let’s just say that whole braiding thing is easier said than done. With two babies on the hip this summer, I’m going to stick with streusel toppings for now.

This recipe for berry almond streusel pie will fill a standard 9″ pie plate. If you’d prefer to use a deep-dish pan, increase the filling by 1/3 and cook a bit longer. I’ve even halved this recipe and prepared pies in mini 6″ dishes! My favorite though is the standard 9″ pie because it’s great for sharing manageable-sized slices with friends.

Let’s embrace the weekend by making this berry almond streusel pie and let me know how you love it! Cheers to the weekend and to summer baking!

For my favorite double pie crust recipe, click here!

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

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This berry almond streusel pie is stuffed with juicy, mixed berries and topped with a buttery, almond specked crumb topping.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 90
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

Units

For the streusel

1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cold and diced
1/2 cup sliced almonds

For the pie

1/2 recipe of double pie crust (see link above)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1.5 lbs of mixed berries, stemmed and cut into similar sized pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

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Instructions

To prepare the streusel

Combine the flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a medium sized bowl and stir to combine. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until it comes together in pea-sized clumps. Toss in the sliced almonds. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare the pie

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, ensuring there’s a rack positioned in the bottom third of the oven.
Roll your pie dough to 1/8-1/4″ thick and place in a 9″ standard pie plate. Trim excess dough from the edges and crimp your crust as desired.
Toss the berries and extract together in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the berries bowl and toss to combine.
Spoon the berries into the prepared pie plate and drain off any excess juices. Top the pie evenly with the crumble topping.
Whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash. Brush evenly over all of the pie crust edges.
Place pie on the bottom rack of the preheated oven and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. At this point, if you notice the pie crust and top is bronzing too quickly, cover it loosely with a piece of foil. Continue baking another 20-30 minutes until the juice of the pie bubbles under the streusel.
Once done, cool on a cooling rack until room temperature, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Notes

Keep your pie crust and streusel cold until it is placed in the oven. Cold crust and streusel is easier to work with and will perform best in the oven.
Keep in mind that this recipe works best in a standard 9″ pie plate and is not intended for a deep-dish pie plate. Increase filling ingredients by 1/3 in order to fill a deep-dish plate.
Use another 1/2 recipe of pie dough to top the pie if you prefer a double crust pie. Be sure to brush all of the crust with the egg wash. This will help the crust to brown beautifully.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 9
Calories: 387
Sugar: 32
Sodium: 266
Fat: 17
Saturated Fat: 6
Unsaturated Fat: 9
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 56
Protein: 6
Cholesterol: 41

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Blueberry Peach Crumb Cake

2 Comments / Cakes

Desserts doubling as breakfast is the recipe of the moment, because today’s blueberry peach crumb cake is EVERYTHING. With a moist vanilla cake, fresh peaches, sweet blueberries, and a sprinkle of buttery crumb topping, this coffee cake is a seriously satisfying summer option. Let me tell you all about it!

Here in the south, blueberries are everywhere. I’ve been stuffing them into everything lately, and this peach crumb cake is my latest victim. Peaches and blueberries are a match made in heaven, pairing together with equal parts sweet and tart. I’ve combined the two before in a pie, a trifle, and even a cobbler, and now, we have a cake too! While the fruit shines (because, well, summer?), my favorite part is the crumble. Brown sugar, butter, and just enough salt dot the baked cake with butter crisp nuggets of deliciousness. Oh goodness, it is GOOD.

How to Make Blueberry Peach Crumb Cake

Making this cake is a cinch. In my opinion, the trickiest part is peeling the peaches, so we will start with that. While many people blanch peaches to loosen skin, I just do it the old fashioned way: with a paring knife. Skin about two peaches and remove the pits before dicing into bits. Next, make the crumb. Flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter come together in a small bowl until the mixture resembles wet sandy crumbs. Finally, we whip up the cake. Melted butter, sugar, an egg, and vanilla stir together. The dry ingredients toss in next and are followed by some milk. The thick batter spreads into the bottom of a springform pan, and then we sprinkle on the fruit and the cooled crumb. The cake bakes in the oven, and I just dare you not to sit next to the oven watching.

How to Store Crumb Cake

Fair warning: this cake is MOIST. I mean, seriously moist. As the fruits bake and release moisture, the whole cake benefits and is barely sweetened by the juices. Even after a few days on the counter, somehow, this thing is delicious and fresh tasting. I recommend storing it at room temperature wrapped in plastic wrap. Keep it sealed, and it will be good for 4-5 days. To freeze, seal it in a freezer-safe dish covered in plastic wrap, and add a layer of foil if you plan to store it long-term. Voila!

I hope you all enjoy the heck out of this blueberry peach crumb cake! Happy baking to you all!

If you like this coffee cake, you should try:

Banana Crumb Cake
Lemon Berry Crumb Cake
Raspberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake
Peaches and Cream Biscuits

Blueberry Peach Crumb Cake

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4 from 2 reviews

This blueberry peach crumb cake features fresh summer fruit and a brown sugar crumb topping!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 40
Yield: 9-10 Servings
Category: Cake

Ingredients

For the crumble:

¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons melted butter

For the cake:

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 cup chopped peeled and pitted peaches
1 cup blueberries

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit. Lightly grease a 9” springform pan and set aside.
Begin by making the crumble. Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter using a spatula and set aside.
Next, prepare the cake. Combine the melted butter and sugar, stirring together with a spoon. Whisk in the egg followed by the vanilla. Finally, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a spoon until almost combined. Whisk in the milk just until combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the peaches and berries over top of the batter and then crumble the streusel on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool before releasing the cake from the pan and serving.

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Small Batch Blueberry Crisp

1 Comment / Confections and Candies, Pies

Summer must be here, because we are knee-deep in blueberries. What a wonderful thing to be knee-deep in too, right? This past week, we picked blueberries with friends, and, let me just say, those babies go a looonngg way. Even after we had eaten our fill, our fingers stained purple and bellies stuffed, we still had an abundance of fruit leftover. Naturally, we had to bake it. So today, you’re getting a recipe for small batch blueberry crisp- the perfect treat to share with the humans under your roof.

A Case for Small Batch Desserts

I adore smaller-portioned desserts. As much as I love baking, there’s always the business of what to do with it all once it’s been baked. Ice creams, breads, and even cookies do fine in the freezer, but some things, (like this small batch blueberry crisp!) are best eaten immediately. So I’ve started playing more with smaller portions, baking in containers that are perfectly sized for my family of five. No leftovers to worry about and just enough for everyone.

Small Batch Blueberry Crisp

This blueberry crisp is a near-perfect recipe for fresh summer blueberries. Here, with few ingredients and simple preparation, the blueberries shine. Best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this dessert is simultaneously refreshing and comforting.

To make it, we start with the fruit filling. We toss our blueberries with sugar, lemon zest, and cornstarch. That entire mixture pours into a one quart baking dish. Next, we put together the topping which is nothing more than butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon. Crumble the wet topping onto the fruit, distributing it evenly until consistent throughout. Finally, it gets a bake in the oven. Once bubbly and finished, this dessert is sweet, flavorful, and the perfect accompaniment for vanilla ice cream.

Give this small batch blueberry crisp a whirl the next time you get your hands on fresh berries! Happy Baking!

If you like this blueberry crisp you should try:

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Brown Butter Peach Berry Crumble
Skillet Fruit Pancake
Blueberry Maple Pie
Blueberry Galette

Small Batch Blueberry Crisp

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5 from 1 review

This small batch blueberry crisp feeds a small crew and features fresh berries, lemon zest, and a brown sugar oat topping!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4-5 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

½ cup light brown sugar, packed,
½ cup old fashioned oats
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon, divided
Pinch of Salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups blueberries

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium bowl, stir to combine to brown sugar, oats, four, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the butter just until combined and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch. Toss in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and blueberries. Pour the fruit mixture into a 1-quart baking dish and top with crumbled bits of the oat mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling slightly throughout the entire skillet. Allow to cool slightly before serving with scoops of ice cream or whipped cream.

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Blueberry Cream Cheese Biscuits

1 Comment / Bread, Breakfast

Does it get any better than homemade biscuits? I’ve been the self-professed biscuit lady for a number of years now, and I could not be more thrilled to add another recipe to the Wood & Spoon repertoire. These blueberry cream cheese biscuits are a long time coming, and when I tell you they are worth the wait… well, they are.

Storebought is… Fine?

I’ve been making homemade biscuits for so long that, up until recently, I almost forgot about the alternatives. You know- storebought biscuits, refrigerated doughs, and even the freezer ones that you just pop on the pan and warm up. They’ve been all but foreign to me. Don’t get me wrong- there are plenty of semi-homemade or convenience foods that I buy with very little hesitation, but once you’ve tasted a really easy (and really good!) homemade biscuit, it’s hard to go back. You know?

Then, the other day, we were serving breakfast to a rather large crew after church. I caved and bought a Costco-sized bag of frozen biscuits. It was so easy! Oven: preheated. Baking pan: lined with parchment. Hot biscuits: ready in 12 minutes. They even really looked good- golden tops, steamy fluffed insides, perfectly round size. Maybe I had been tricking myself all these years. Maybe homemade biscuits weren’t really that much better.

Homemade Biscuits > All Other Alternatives

But then it came time to trying them. I took a biscuit, slathered it with last summer’s strawberry fig jam, and took a bite. First chew: good texture. Second chew: not bad. Third, fourth, and fifth bite: oh, no.

What even is this? That greasy film on the roof of my mouth? That gummy texture caking my teeth? The butter flavor that, honestly, was more movie theater artificial than anything else. The frozen biscuit I tried that morning was nothing like my homemade ones. It was so, so much worse than I remembered.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Biscuits

I’ll be honest: vindication tastes almost as good as these blueberry cream cheese biscuits. These homemade biscuits, just like the millions I’ve made in the past, really are the best. They have it all: buttery crisp edges, soft insides, layers throughout, and loads of real butter flavor. With fresh blueberries and a cream cheese glaze, these blueberry cream cheese biscuits have balanced sweetness and great texture. I cannot emphasize enough how delicious they are. So let me tell you how to make them.

How to Make Blueberry Cream Cheese Biscuits

Almost all of my biscuit recipes start the same way. First, we whisk together the dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar come together in a bowl. Next, we cut in the cream cheese and butter using a pastry cutter, just until the fats are incorporated in pea-sized chunks. Why use cream cheese? Cream cheese works as a substitute for some of the butter and adds a subtle flavor and softness. I learned this trick years ago from Carrie of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit whose cream cheese biscuits are delightfully soft and fluffy. After tossing in the blueberries, we stir it all together with a little cold buttermilk.

The dough is thick and shaggy, but, working quickly, we bring it together and pat it out on a floured surface. A floured round biscuit butter comes next, and we trim out pieces of dough before popping them into a super-hot oven. Once baked, the cream cheese glaze tops these biscuits that truly are divine.

How to Revive Leftover Biscuits

Lots of foods are best the very first day, but I’ll be honest: I almost prefer these biscuits the next day. Once frosted, these blueberry cream cheese biscuits will soften overnight and lose a lot of their crispy edges. To revive them, I place them on a lined baking sheet in a toaster oven or traditional oven that is preheated to 350 degrees. I like to let mine reheat until they’re a shade darker than when they started. As a result, the edges crispy up, the insides warm, and even the glaze on top crisps slightly, leaving behind a flaky almost-donut glaze. (Insert me drooling.)

Given these blueberry cream cheese biscuits a try and let me know what you think! Happy baking to you all and have a great Sunday.

If you like these blueberry cream cheese biscuits, you should make:

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Biscuits
Peaches and Cream Biscuits
Funfetti Biscuits
Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits

Blueberry Cream Cheese Biscuits

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5 from 1 review

These blueberry cream cheese biscuits have soft, fluffy centers, fresh berries, and a sweetened cream cheese glaze on top!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12
Category: Biscuits

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

2 cups (280 gm) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, cold, plus 2 tablespoons melted
¾ cup fresh blueberries
¾ cup (180 gm) cold buttermilk

For the topping:

2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (115 gm) powdered sugar
1–2 tablespoons milk

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Instructions

To make the biscuits:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Use the back of a fork or a pastry cutter to cut in the cream cheese and butter until large, pea-sized clumps exist throughout. Stir in the blueberries and then add the buttermilk, stirring to combine. Dump the shaggy dough out onto a floured surface and used floured hands to gently pat the dough out into a 1” rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and then pat it out again into 1” thickness. Use a 2” biscuit cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Gently combine the scraps and then pat out that mixture to 1” thick again. Cut out additional rounds. Place the dough rounds 2″ apart onto a baking sheet and brush the tops with the melted butter. Place the pan in the oven, reduce the heat to 400, and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until the tops are puffed and golden. You may need to rotate the pan towards the end of baking if one size is darkening faster than the other. Allow the biscuits to cool briefly while you prepare the topping.

To prepare the topping:

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in large bowl just until smooth. Add a tablespoon or more or milk to get the icing a smooth, spreadable consistency. Smooth a dollop on each biscuit and serve immediately!

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Blueberry Ice Cream Cake

2 Comments / Cakes, Frozen Desserts

Two of my favorite things combine in today’s recipe to make a killer dessert: fresh summer produce and creamy homemade ice cream. This blueberry ice cream cake is an ode to summer and its weather that has, so far, proven to be straight-up oppressive. With frozen layers of cream cheese ice cream and a fresh blueberry sauce throughout, this cake is certainly seasonally appropriate. Let me tell you all about it.

So why combine blueberries with ice cream cake? With blueberry season well underway, many of us (raises hand!) have found themselves with a surplus of produce. Lucky for us, homemade fruit sauces swirl splendidly into homemade no-churn ice cream. If you’ve never learned how to make no-churn ice cream, fear not! I recently wrote a post all about no-churn ice cream that you can read here. Today’s recipe uses the classic technique with the addition of cream cheese which gives this cake great flavor. That, plus the blueberry sauce and graham cracker crumble, makes for a terrific make-ahead treat!

Making the Blueberry Ice Cream Cake:

To make the ice cream cake, start with the blueberry sauce. Combine fresh or frozen blueberries with sugar and lemon juice on the stovetop. Cook the mixture until it reduces and thickens slightly. In the meantime, begin preparing your ice cream. Softened cream cheese creams together with sweetened condensed milk before folding into whipped cream. Split the ice cream mixture in half. One bowl will remain cream cheese flavored and the other gets a helping of blueberry sauce. Layer the two in a prepared pan with additional blueberry sauce.

This cake also employs the help of a graham cracker “crust” which adds a little bit of salted texture. I was going for a frozen dessert that was reminiscent of a blueberry cheesecake, and I think this fits the bill. Although the crumbs are optional, I think you’ll love them. Don’t skip this step. 🙂

If you get a chance to try this recipe, shoot me a message and let me know what you think! Happy Sunday to you and happy baking!

If you like this blueberry ice cream cake you should try:

Blueberry Mascarpone Ice Cream
Peanut Butter Honey Graham Ice Cream Cake
Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
Black Forest Ice Cream Cake
Blueberry Galette with a Cornmeal Crust
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Blueberry Ice Cream Cake

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This blueberry ice cream cake features a no-churn cream cheese ice cream, a salted graham cracker crumble, and a swirled blueberry sauce.

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 25
Total Time: 360
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the Blueberry Sauce:

2/3 cup blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the graham cracker crumbs:

½ cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the ice cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

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Instructions

Making the Blueberry Sauce:

Combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir regularly, mashing the berries with a potato masher or the back of a fork to release the juices. Cook for about 7-8 minutes or until the sauce has reduced to thicken slightly. Set aside to cool.

Making the graham cracker crumbs:

Stir to combine all the ingredients. Set aside.

Making the ice cream cake:

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cold heavy cream on medium-high speed until it thickens to cloud-like consistency. Set aside.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream until evenly incorporated. Spoon half of the ice cream into your other used bowl. Set aside.
Line an 8”x4” loaf pan with plastic wrap overhanging on both sides. This will make for easy removal of the ice cream cake from the pan. Spoon 1-1/2 tablespoons of the blueberry sauce into the bottom of the pan and spread out. Spoon the remaining sauce into one of the bowls of ice cream and fold gently to combine. Set aside.
Add the plain cream cheese ice cream into the pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Next, layer in the blueberry ice cream and smooth out. Sprinkle about 2/3 of the graham cracker crumbs on top of the pan next, patting gently to set them slightly into the ice cream cake. Cover the cake’s bottom with a sheet of plastic wrap and place in the fridge to set up, about 6 hours or overnight. Save the remaining graham cracker crumbs for serving.
When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap top and flip the cake out onto a plate. Gently wiggle the pan off the cake and plastic wrap lining, removing the lining once able. Slice the cake and serve with additional fresh blueberries and the remaining graham cracker crumble.

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Blueberry Maple Pie

3 Comments / Pies

After last week’s *lengthy* discussion on pie dough, I had no choice but to deliver you a pie this week. What say we put our newfound how-to skills to work? This blueberry maple pie is a delightfully delicious way to experiment with pie dough: the filling contains only simple, approachable ingredients, so the fruit and crust really shine. If you are looking for a great recipe to segue from summer to fall, this pie is definitely it.

Blueberry Maple Pie by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a flaky crusted summer fruit blueberry pie naturally sweetened with maple syrup and barely spiced with a hint of cinnamon. This summer dessert transition into a fall treat seamlessly with ripe produce and warm flavors. Learn how simple it is to make an old fashioned southern lattice pie on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

In writing the description for this pie, I had to boast that is was naturally sweetened with maple syrup- not because I’m particularly invested in natural sweeteners (I’m not), but because I know that’s really important for some of you guys, right? So yes, this blueberry maple pie is naturally sweetened, but that benefits even those of us who aren’t necessarily baking for health. The maple syrup in this pie lends interesting flavor and subtle nuance, complementing both the fruit and the added lemon zest and cinnamon. Truly, it’s a win-win for everyone.

Make the Recipe

To make this blueberry maple pie, we start with perfect pie crust. My recipe utilizes all-purpose flour, butter (for flavor), and shortening (for flake), as well as sugar and salt. All of the ingredients can come together in a food processor or a large bowl of your choosing. The dough does need to chill briefly, so feel free to prep the dough the night (or week!) before. The filling here is simple: fresh berries, maple syrup, cinnamon, and the zest and juice of a single lemon. Together, they combine to make a pie filling that is juicy, sweet, and layered with flavor.

Once the pie dough has been prepared, roll it out into a standard pie plate of your choosing and fill it with the blueberry mixture. The top here can be done according to your preferences: you can take this opportunity to braid or lattice, or you can just not. Either way, this pie will bake up in the bottom third of your oven to a golden brown that is actually worth writing home about.

With summer fruit on the way out and fall flavors coming to town, this blueberry maple pie is fitting and delicious for the times. Give it a try this week and let me know what you think! Happy Saturday to you, and Happy Baking!

If you like this blueberry maple pie you should try:

Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
Peach Berry Pie
Blueberry Galette with a Cornmeal Crust
Blueberry Lemon Pop-Tarts
Berry Slab Pie

Blueberry Maple Pie

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

This yummy summer pie is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and scented with fresh lemon zest and a sprinkle of cinnamon!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 75
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the crust:

3 ½ cups (420 gm) all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons (12 gm) sugar
3/4 teaspoon (4 gm) salt
2/3 cup (135 gm) chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
3/4 cup (1–1/2 sticks, 170 gm) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
10 tablespoons (approximately) ice water

For the filling:

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
1–1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

For the egg wash:

1 egg
2 teaspoons sugar

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Instructions

To prepare the crust:

Give the dry ingredients a whiz in the food processor to combine.
Pulse in the shortening and butter, just until barely evenly dispersed.
Begin adding ice water, 2 tablespoons at a time until moist clumps begin to form.
Remove dough from food processor and separate in two flat round disks. Wrap in Saran wrap and chill for at least two hours prior to use.

To prepare the pie:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. I also like to preheat a baking steel or heavy-duty sheet pan on the bottom third of the oven- this is recommended for a crisp-bottomed crust.
In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Set aside while you roll out your pie dough.
On a floured surface, roll out one half of the chilled pie dough to a 1/8-1/4” thick round approximately 1” wider on all sides than the lip of your standard pie pan. Roll the dough onto a floured rolling pin and unroll into the pan. Gently work the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan. Leave about 1” of dough extending outside the perimeter of the dish and trim off any excess.
Pour the fruit mixture into the pie dish. Place in the fridge while you prepare you pie top. Latticing is optional here; if you plan to leave a plain single sheet of dough on top of the filling, be sure to vent the top with a couple of slits from your knife. Crimp the edges once finished.
In a small both, whisk together the egg and use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of the egg wash on the top of the pie crust. Sprinkle with the sugar. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. At that time, check the crust; if the edges are looking too done, make a pie collar out of aluminum foil to gently drape the edges of the pie. degrees. Continue baking for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the middle of the pie has bubbling juices underneath and the top of the pie crust is golden brown. Allow the pie to cool on a cooling rack completely, or overnight. Cutting into the pie too soon can cause the pie to be too runny, but if this doesn’t bother you, you can cut into it as soon as it is a manageable and safe temperature. Serve with ice cream if desired!

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Berry Buckle

4 Comments / Breakfast, Cakes, Pies and Tarts

Before I moved to the South, I didn’t know a thing about Southern hospitality. In my mind, hospitality was something reserved for the hotel industry and Martha Stewart. What could the word possibly mean outside of those two instances? In the 15+ years since that I’ve lived in the Deep South, I’ve slowly gotten to tiptoe in to warmth that is Southern hospitality, and I gotta say, it feels good. The kindness, the intentionality, and the service of it feels like living and breathing love. There’s nothing like it.

Just yesterday, Charlie’s daycare teacher offered to share some blueberries she had picked from the bushes on her property. A few hours later, she showed up at my door with a 12-gallon storage bin filled to the brim with hand-picked summer produce. No charge, no request for anything in return, just an offer from a friend who knew my baby loved blueberries. I spent the next few minutes filling bags with berries to share with my friends and tried not to get teary-eyed over the obvious symbolism that was playing out right in front of me. I was reminded that when we love others, whether via blueberries, our words, our actions, or some other form of hospitality, that love almost always gets passed on and affects so many more people that we initially imagined. It multiplies and grows.

“Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.” -John Lennon

I’d like to be a person that grows love. The hospitality and generosity I received in that bin of blueberries reminds me that that every little thing can make a difference, and those simple offerings of kindness rarely affect just the person we’re sharing them with. They make a difference, and the world needs more of that love. So today (or sometime in the future!), when you have the opportunity to give generously yourself and your resources, I hope you’ll remember that hospitality isn’t a job set aside for a select few- it’s an opportunity for us all.

Blueberry Buckle

Now that I have blueberries, I’m looking forward to recipes that will honor the fruit in a way it deserves. This berry buckle is so simple that I think you’ll like it too. This vanilla and almond-scented buttermilk cake has fresh berries and a simple and buttery almond streusel on top. The end result is a cake that is equal parts breakfast and dessert, which we all know is my very favorite thing to make. Served with a dollop of whipped cream or simply a cup of coffee, this berry buckle is definitely the perfect treat to make this summer. Let me tell you how.

To make this berry buckle, we start by creaming butter and sugar together until it’s pale and fluffy. A single eggs and extract come next followed by buttermilk and a few simple dry ingredients. Spread the batter into an 8″ or 9″ pan and then dotted with fresh berries- any of your favorites will do. Bake the cake partially before being sprinkling the top with the almond streusel.

After baking, this berry buckle tastes terrific served warm with ice cream or even on its own. If you happen to have some ripe summer produce on hand, this is definitely a terrible option for utilizing it. Give the recipe a try and let me know what you think! Happy Wednesday and Happy Baking!

If you like the berry buckle you should try:

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake
Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Cornbread
Strawberry Almond Skillet Cake

Berry Buckle

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5 from 2 reviews

This berry buckle is a moist buttermilk cake dotted with fresh summer berries and a simple almond streusel!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the streusel:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup sliced or chopped almonds

For the cake:

1/4 cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup (150 gm) sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1–1/4 cups (150 gm) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (120 gm) buttermilk
1–1/2 cups mixed berries (I used 1 cup blackberries and ½ cup blueberries)

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Instructions

To prepare the streusel:

Stir to combine the flour and sugar. Use the back of a fork to cut the softened butter into the dry ingredients until it is incorporated in pea-sized crumbs. Toss in the almonds and set aside.

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10” cast iron skillet and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and ¾ cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, almond extract, and egg and beat to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter and stir to almost combine. Add half of the buttermilk and stir to almost combine. Repeat this process once more until all of the flour mixture and milk has been combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and fold in any unincorporated bits.
Spread the batter out in the greased skillet. Arrange the berries all over the top of the batter, pressing them down gently into the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, and then carefully sprinkle the streusel on top of the cake. Bake for an additional 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly prior to serving.

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Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

3 Comments / Uncategorized

We’re a week or so into this summer business, and I’m starting to see what our pace will look like over the coming weeks. Having a house full of kiddos and little to no agenda at hand presents both blessings and challenges: How will we fill our days? How do we keep everyone kind and engaged? How do I balance working from home and being present? Last year, during the hardest moths of the pandemic, I learned quickly how tricky it can be to teeter-totter work and playtime, and this summer is proving to be no different. Work from home moms: how do you do it!?

My most helpful back-pocket tactics so far has been to 1.) have a few small goals planned for each day and 2.) to stretch out every fun activity as much as I can. Case-in-point: these breakfast treats. Instead of pouring another bowl of cereal or popping a slice of toast in the toaster, we’ve been taking time for slower breakfasts, allowing the kids to get their hands dirty and help whenever possible. Muffins are a favorite in our home and these blueberry ones filled with fresh summer produce and a swirl of sweetened cream cheese filling are absolutely delightful. They’re just the kind of thing that make a random summer weekday morning feel extra special.

Making the Muffins

Start with the batter. Softened butter and two kinds of sugar are creamed together until smooth. Next comes the liquid ingredients: eggs, vanilla, sour cream and milk. Once combined, the dry ingredients follow and the batter is set aside. The filling is a simple mixture of cream cheese, sugar, and egg yolk. Once combined, it’s dolloped into the prepared baking tin with the batter and the blueberries and baked until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

If you don’t love cream cheese, you can opt out of the filling on these blueberry cream cheese muffins, or feel free to check out my whole wheat blueberry muffins! Both ways are hugely delicious and worth the squeeze in the kitchen. In the meantime, I hope you have an awesome weekend complete with a killer breakfast treat like these little babies! Happy Friday and Happy Baking!

If you like these blueberry cream cheese muffins you should try:

Blueberry Brioche
Whole-Wheat Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Cornbread
Chamomile Blueberry Scone
Blueberry Babka

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

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These blueberry cream cheese muffins feature ripe summer fruit and a tangy swirl of cream cheese filling!

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 14
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the muffins:

½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1–1/2 cups fresh blueberries (see notes)

For the cream cheese filling:

4 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg yolk

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12-compartment muffin tin with liners (or lightly grease if you plan to use no liners).
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until well-combined, about one minute. Add in the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and milk and stir to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt on low, just until combined. Fold in the blueberries
Use a medium cookie scoop to fill the muffin tins about 1/3 of the way full (see notes). Spoon a teaspoon-sized dollop of the cream cheese on top. Use the cookie scoop to spoon another dollop of muffin batter on top of the cream cheese and swirl another teaspoon of the filling on top. Bake in the preheated oven about 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted just barely comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin briefly before removing and cooling on a rack.

Notes

You can substitute frozen blueberries here but it will chill the batter and make it difficult to stir. Just keep that in mind.
I like to use barely wet fingertips to pat the dollops of batter into the bottom of the pan so the cream cheese filling won’t seep out the sides. Flatten the first part of batter and make a divit. Add the cream cheese and continue assembling.

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Blueberry Sour Cream Pie

42 Comments / Pies and Tarts

There’s a few things in life that just work together. Peanut butter and jelly. Jeans and a white tee. Me and any one of the Jonas Brothers. It just works, you know? Today I’m sharing a recipe with one such combo, a pair so fitting and delicious that I’m calling it one of my favorite surprises of the summer: blueberries and sour cream. This blueberry sour cream pie is all kinds of just right, and after I give you the lowdown I think you’ll agree.

Blueberry Sour Cream Pie

If you’re anything like me, the sound of a blueberry sour cream pie is kinda weird at first. After all, isn’t sour cream reserved for baked potatoes? For cheesy French onion dip? Nasty tuna casseroles? NOPE. Sour cream does amazing, miraculous things to baked goods when given a little love (and sugar). Here, the sour cream serves as the base for a custard-y filling that is sweetened with sugar and loads of fresh berries. The end result is a cheesecake-like filling with just the right amount of sweet and tang.

The anchor for this blueberry sour cream pie is a walnut pie crust from my friends at Diamond. I’ve been using their nuts for years, so when they asked me to come up with a recipe using their new ready-made pie crusts I jumped at the chance. I was recently introduced to sour cream pies, and I knew Diamond’s Walnut Pie Crust was the perfect vehicle for that dreamy filling. The crust has great texture, baked up wonderfully, and kept my prep time for this pie under ten minutes.

Finishing the Pie

After a quick stint in the oven, this blueberry sour cream pie is topped with a simple walnut crumble and baked for a few minutes longer until it barely jiggles in the center. Upon cooling, the pie has strata-like layers of crust, custard, berries, and crumble, plus it slices like a dream. I started to serve this pie with a little bit of whipped cream, but honestly, it needs no garnish. The simplicity of a great pie crust, cream filling, and fresh summer produce is about all we need.

I hope you’ll give this blueberry sour cream pie a try and let me know what you think! It’s an easy peasy recipe to round out these summer months, and I think you’ll love it. At the very least, pick up a Diamond Nut Pie Crust for whatever you happen to be cooking up this summer. They’re fab and would make a great shortcut for all your favorite summer pies. I’m going to leave the links below to some pie fillings that would taste great in these crusts, so give it a look and let me know what you think! Happy baking, y’all!

If you like this blueberry sour cream pie you should try one of these:

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts

Pumpkin Pecan Tart with Maple Whipped Cream

Blueberry Sour Cream Pie

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4.9 from 7 reviews

This blueberry sour cream pie has a walnut pie crust, a sour cream custard filling, and is topped with sugared blueberries and a quick crumb topping!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Pie

Ingredients

For the pie:

1 Diamond Walnut Pie Crust
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries

For the crumb topping:

¼ cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pie crust on a sheet pan. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combined the sour cream, milk, egg, egg yolk, sugar, flour, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Pour the blueberries into the prepared crust and pour the batter over top of them. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top of the pie feels kind of set but is still a little jiggly in the center. In the meantime, prepare the crumb by combining the flour, sugar, and butter with the back of a fork. Toss in the walnuts and set aside. Once the top of the pie feels kinda set, remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle on the crumb topping. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the crumb is golden and the pie is completely set. Allow to cool prior to serving!

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Berry Slab Pie

Making the Pie

To make this berry slab pie, we start with the crust. Flour, salt, and a bit of sugar are pulsed together with loads of butter until pea-sized clumps exist throughout. We bring the dough together with some ice water and apple cider vinegar and allow it to chill in the fridge. Once the dough is cold, preheat the oven and roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Fit the dough into a jelly roll pan and begin to prep your filling.

Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are tossed together with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pie dish and set it aside while you roll out the top piece of dough. I chose to lattice strips of dough on my berry slab pie, but you can easily opt to roll out the sheet of dough and vent the top instead. Place the pie in a preheated oven and bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.

A Few Things to Know

A few things to know about this berry slab pie: first, you really have to roll out your dough well. A jelly roll pan requires a really big crust, and even though this recipe makes loads of dough you’ll still need to take care to roll it out large enough. Second, feel free to adapt this filling according to your preferences! You can use fresh or frozen berries and even sub in certain varieties of berries. Finally, be sure to taste test the berries before you fill your pie so that you can add more or less sugar as needed. If you find your berries aren’t super ripe you may require a few extra tablespoons of sugar to sweeten up the filling.

Let’s bask in these last few days of summer and fill up on yummy treats like this berry slab pie. Many thanks to my friends at Kerrygold for sponsoring this post. Pies are only as good as the ingredients we put in them (especially when it comes to butter!), so for optimal taste I always trust Kerrygold. Pick up a few sticks at the store and give it a try yourself! Happy Tuesday and Happy Baking!

If you like this berry slab pie you should try:

Peach Berry Pie

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Caramel Apple Slab Pie

Berry Slab Pie

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This berry slab pie is baked in a jelly roll pan and feeds a crowd! Features strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 16
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

Units

For the pie crust:

4-1/2 cups (585 gm) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cup (400 gm) unsalted butter, cold
10+ tablespoons ice water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

For the pie filling:

2 teaspoons lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
8 cups (about 900 gm) mixed berries (I used chopped strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
1/4 cup (35 gm) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (100 gm) sugar
1 egg

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Instructions

To prepare the pie crust:

Give the dry ingredients a whiz in the food processor to combine.
Pulse in the butter, just until evenly dispersed and pea-sized clumps form.
Pour the apple cider vinegar into the ice water. Add in 6 or 7 tablespoons of ice water mixture and pulse, adding in an additional tablespoon of water until a dough begins to form. I usually need 9-10 tablespoons of water.
Remove dough from food processor and separate in two round disks. Wrap in Saran wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes prior to use.

To prepare the pie filling:

Combine the lemon juice, zest, and berries in a large bowl. Add the flour, cinnamon, and sugar and toss to combine evenly. Set aside while you make assemble your pie.

To assemble your pie:

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Prepare an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 2 teaspoons of water. Set aside while you prepare the pie.
Roll out one half of your dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12”x17” rectangle. Once smoothed and sized, roll the dough back onto the rolling pin and transfer the dough into a 15″ x 10″ x 1″ jelly roll pan. Gently press the dough into the edges of the pan and trim off excess dough, leaving a 3/4’” overhand around all edges. Use some excess dough to fill in spots where the dough may have cracked or wasn’t long enough.
Sprinkle your prepared fruit into the pan and spread out to fill evenly. Roll out your remaining piece of dough to a 12”x17” rectangle. Roll the dough onto your rolling pin and transfer it to the pie. Center the pie top on the pan and fold the bottom edge over the top, crimping with your fingers as desired. Use a knife to vent the pie and brush the egg wash over the top crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling inside is bubbling. Rotate the pie during baking as needed to brown evenly.

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