blueberry Archives - Wood & Spoon

Blueberry Ice Cream Cake

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.

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 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!

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.

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.

Blueberry Sour Cream Pie

40 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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★★★★★

4.8 from 6 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!

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

Print Recipe

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

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)
¼ cup (35 gm) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ 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.

Blueberry Babka

19 Comments / Breakfast

Happy Monday from our sleepy, milky corner of Alabama. I promise I am planning on giving the real-deal scoop on our new little Charlie guy ASAP, but because I’m not sure if anything I’m typing is even coherent (Is it? Am I still sane? Do you guys still love me?), I’ll skip the mumbo jumbo and go head-first into today’s baked good of choice: blueberry babka.

Blueberry Babka

There’s a number of reasons I love this blueberry babka. First, have you ever made bread? Like, a real yeast-risen bread loaded with butter and swirled with fruit filling? It’s a good choice. This blueberry babka is tender, mildly flavored, and makes some of the best dang buttered toasts your breakfasts will have ever experienced. My kids are huge on the toast bandwagon these days and I love being able to offer something new and homemade that feels special. This blueberry babka is just the ticket.

Making the Babka

No lie, making a homemade babka can be super intimidating. I get a little nervy about it every time I saddle up to the counter, but if you follow instructions the bread can be very forgiving and is worth taking a stab at. Here’s the lowdown on how to make it. First, we dissolve yeast in a bowl of warm milk and allow it to bubble and froth. An egg and egg yolk comes next and is combined with the milk before we add the dry ingredients. As the flour, sugar, and salt get stirred in, the dough becomes a lot more tough, and you’ll be glad to have a stand mixer on hand to do the grunt work for you. Finally, highly quality butter (and loads of it) are added to the mix to create a stringy, soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl easily.

Undoubtedly, you already know that I rely on Kerrygold butter for this job. Anytime butter plays a leading role in a recipe, it’s important to call upon a quality product that is well-flavored and loaded with the best kind of fat. Kerrygold is always my choice for babka, and their large blocks are the perfect amount for this recipe.

A Few Pointers

The only semi-annoying thing about making this blueberry babka is that the dough has to rest overnight. This allows the dough to chill and the flavors to amp up. After a few hours in the fridge, we’re ready to roll out our dough. Use a floured rolling pin and a floured workspace to roll the dough into a large rectangle. Work quickly to keep your dough chilly! Next, we spread a blueberry jam/lemon zest mixture all over the dough. I prefer to use quality store bought jam here to save time, but if you’d prefer something different, go for it! The added lemon zest gives dimension to the filling flavor and prevents it from being way too sweet. Roll the dough tightly, slice it down the middle and roll the two strands of dough together to keep the exposed innards facing upwards. Simple!

After a final rise, each loaf of blueberry babka bakes in a preheated oven for 40 minutes. If you’d like an extra-sweet, extra-moist loaf, you can opt to douse the baked loaves with a syrup after baking. I skip this set sometimes to keep the bread a little more guilt-free, but if you want to go all in, GO FOR IT. I’m here for you.

Many thanks to my friends at Kerrygold for sponsoring this and a million other butter-laden posts. I love working with a brand I love and trust so much, and I hope you’ll come to adore them as well. Give their products a try, especially if you decide to make this blueberry babka! Happy baking, happy Monday, and have a great week!

If you like this blueberry babka you should try:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Babka

Baklava Brioche

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Orange Swirl Bread

Peppermint Bark Bread

Blueberry Babka

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

This blueberry babka is a braided loaf filled with blueberry lemon preserves!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 60
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 360
Yield: 2 Loaves
Category: Bread

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 cup (240 gm) milk, lukewarm
2–1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 large egg plus one large egg yolk
4 cups (560 gm) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
2 teaspoons salt
10 tablespoons (140 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the syrup (optional)

½ cup (100 gm) sugar
½ cup water

For the filling:

1 cup high quality blueberry preserves
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons cinnamon

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Instructions

To prepare the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large dough, sprinkle the yeast over the milk and allow to dissolve, about five minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the flour, sugar, and salt and beat on low to combine. Once combined, continue beating for an additional 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until combined and then beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. If your dough is extremely sticky and doesn’t stretch some away from the wall of the bowl, sprinkle in another 2 tablespoons or so of all-purpose flour. The dough will be loose and wet but should hold its shape decently. Once combined well put the dough into a large, lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rest for an hour. After an hour, dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal-sized pieces. Gently work each piece into a flat square. Place a sheet of parchment or Silpat on a baking sheet and grease it with baking spray. Place both squares of dough on the parchment, cover the sheet with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rest in the fridge overnight.

To shape the loaves:

When you’re ready to prepare your loaves, spray two (8”x4”) loaf pans with cooking spray and line the long sides and bottom with a piece of parchment paper. Combine the jam, zest, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll one piece of dough out onto a floured surface into a 13”x16” rectangle. Spread half of the filling in a thin layer over the top of the dough leaving a 1/2 “ border around the perimeter of the dough rectangle. Starting at one of the short ends, roll the dough up tightly and then pinch the end to the roll to seal. Use a sharp knife to cut down the length of the center of the dough log into two pieces. Twist the two pieces around each other into a spiral and then place the wrapped loaf in one of the prepared pans. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough. Cover the pans with a tea towel and allow the loaves to rise in a warm spot in your kitchen, about 1-1/2- 2 hours.

To prepare the syrup (optional):

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gently boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside while you bake your loaves. This can be made and refrigerated in advance as well.

When ready to bake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the covers from the pans and place in the preheated oven to bake for about 40 minutes or until the top is golden and the inside registers at 180 degrees F. Remove the loaves from the oven and use a thin skewer or cake tester to poke tiny holes all over the loaves. Pour or brush the syrup over top (optional) or each loaf. Allow to cool slightly in the pan and then continue cooling completely on a cooling rack.

Blueberry Mascarpone Ice Cream

24 Comments / Frozen Desserts

We’re totally in it- the thick of summer. A time for short shorts and frozen beverages. The days that smell like coconut sunscreen and salty hair. We’ve been indoor cats this summer, spending most of our daylight hours swaddling our new little babe in muslin and morning light, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy some of the best these months have to offer. In an effort to settle into the summer spirit, I’ve made a super tasty frozen treat that I think captures summer flavors at their finest: blueberry mascarpone ice cream. Let’s dive in.

Blueberry Mascarpone Ice Cream

Ice cream is always a favorite of mine. I love the variety of flavors and textures you can achieve and adore having a dessert that keeps in the freezer. Here, a creamy and mild vanilla mascarpone base is swirled with a quick stovetop blueberry sauce and little crumbles of Biscoff cookies. The end result is a flavor and texture that reminds me of a fruit crisp topped with loads of ice cream, aka, absolutely delicious.

Making the Ice Cream

To make this blueberry mascarpone ice cream, we start with the ice cream base. Milk is warmed and whisked into egg yolks and sugar before the whole mixture is cooked together. Mascarpone cheese and a pinch of salt is added next, and the creamy mixture is allowed to chill until it is room temperature. Chilling the mixture prevents overchurning and also makes for a creamier bite. The blueberry sauce is nothing more than fresh berries cooked down on the stove with sugar. Once the mixture is thickened and the berries have burst, remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely.

This blueberry mascarpone ice cream churns in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mine usually takes about 20 minutes to whip up. Once it’s thickened to the consistency of frozen yogurt, turn your machine off and begin layering the mixture with swirls of the blueberry sauce and cookie crumbles. I like to store my ice cream in metal loaf pans, but any freezer-safe container will work. It won’t last too long anyways- it’s too delicious!

If your July has yet to include an oversized scoop of homemade ice cream, I hope you’ll give this blueberry mascarpone ice cream a whirl. It’s among some of my favorite treats I’ve enjoyed this year, and I think you’ll love it too. Happy Tuesday and enjoy!

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

Samoa Ice Cream

Cherry Chip Ice Cream

Oatmeal Cookie Chunk Ice Cream

Vegan Coconut Lime Ice Cream Pie

Apple Crisp Ice Cream

Blueberry Mascarpone Ice Cream

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

This blueberry mascarpone ice cream feature a blueberry stovetop sauce and a biscoff cookie crumble in a vanilla bean mascarpone cheese base!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 240
Yield: 1 Quart
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the ice cream base (adapted from Daniel Humm):

2 cups (480 gm) whole milk
4 large egg yolks
¾ cup (150 gm) sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
Pinch of salt

For the filling:

1 cup blueberries
¼ cup sugar
2 ounces of crumbled Biscoff cookies (graham crackers or crunchy oatmeal cookies can be substituted in a pinch)

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Instructions

To prepare the ice cream base:

Combine the milk and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, combine the egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a bowl and whip with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Once the milk mixture has come to a simmer, carefully add 1 cup of the warm milk into the egg mixture in a slow and steady stream, whisking all the while, over the course of 30 seconds. Don’t add it all at once or you’ll risk scrambling the eggs. Once the milk has been added, pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cook over medium-low heat while stirring constantly until the mixture barely thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 4-5 minutes). Don’t let the mixture boil. Pull the saucepan off the heat and whisk in the mascarpone and salt until incorporated.
Strain the custard into a gallon-sized plastic bag and seal it. Place the bag in a sink filled with ice and cold water to help the mixture chill quickly. Alternatively, you can strain the mixture in a bowl and allow it to chill more slowly in the fridge. Once the mixture has chilled, process the ice cream in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions, usually about 20 minutes. Once prepared, spread the custard into a loaf pan alternating with drizzles of the blueberries and crumbled cookies. I like to do three separate layers of custard and top each with a hefty amount of blueberry sauce and cookie crumbles. Swirl gently with a knife and then allow to freeze completely in the freezer. Enjoy!

To prepare the filling:

Combine the blueberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat to cool completely prior to use.

Chamomile Blueberry Scones and an Easter Recipe Round-up!

5 Comments / Breakfast

It’s a Good Friday, isn’t it? Easter weekend holds lots of special memories for me, and I’m a firm believer that the best way to celebrate is with food. If this weekend has you hosting family and friends or in need of a little springtime baking inspiration, I’ve totally got you covered. Today I’m sharing a recipe for these chamomile blueberry scones and I’ve also rounded up a few of my favorite cakes, pies, and other treats that are perfect for baking over the next few days. Let’s dive in!

Chamomile Blueberry Scones

The recipe for these chamomile blueberry scones is straightforward and delicious, a nugget of breakfast gold from Marcella DiLonardo’s new book, Bake the Seasons. I have ~~stalked~~ followed Marcella on social media for a number of years now and was delighted when she offered to send me a copy of her first publication. Bake the Seasons is full of seasonally appropriate recipes for everyday life and there are about 20 in there that I was dying to try right away. I opted to take these chamomile blueberry scones out for a ride, and they did not disappoint.

If you’ve never baked with chamomile before, anticipate it being used similarly to how we bake with Earl Grey, Lavender, and other infusible herbs and leaves. The chamomile flavor is mild but noticeable and lends an almost floral flavor to these otherwise ordinary breakfast scones. The dough here is a butter and cream based dough that comes together quickly and is irresistible. I’m always a fan of dough but I definitely took more than my fair share when making these. Perfectly sweet, lightly scented, and intensely buttery, these blueberry scones are serious breakfast business that you’ll want in your life ASAP.

If you’re unsure about using the chamomile, take heart, because I have found it to be totally optional. These blueberry scones are ridiculous delish all on their own, so feel free to skip the tea if you’d prefer. I baked several batches and froze the cooled scones for the future. My kids have enjoyed fresh-tasting breakfast scones nearly everyday these past few weeks, because they reheat well in the oven and crisp right back up like a dream. Truly, these blueberry scones are the weekend warriors your mornings have been waiting for.

Spring Must-Bakes

To round out the springtime must-bakes, I’ve assembled a list of recipes perfect for your weekend festivities. Whether you’re celebrating with family, friends, or kiddos, I’ve totally got you covered. Just pick a favorite below and then check out the direct links to the recipes! If you’re in need of more seasonal baked goods, check out Marcella’s book and bake away. I really think you’ll enjoy it! Happy Easter weekend!

Almond Coconut Cake

Easter Cake

Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Coconut Key Lime Cake

Carrot Bundt Cake

Easter Meringues

Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie

Chamomile Blueberry Scones and Easter Recipe Round-up!

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 3 reviews

These chamomile blueberry scones are a butter and cream breakfast treat infused with tea. Little pockets of blueberries make these irresistible!

Author: Marcella DiLonardo
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 9
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

¾ cup (175 mL) heavy cream, plus more for brushing
1 chamomile tea bag
2–1/4 cups (315 gm) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 gm) turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, cold and chopped
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh blueberries

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cream and chamomile tea bag. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Discard the tea bag and set aside the infused cream to cool in the fridge.
In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, work in the butter until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Add the egg, vanilla, and cooled cream. Stir just until the dough comes together. Fold in the blueberries.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Using your hands or a rolling pin, shape into a disk 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick. Cut into 8 even wedges or use a 2” biscuit cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Arrange pieces on the prepared baking sheet, brush the tops with cream. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes on a rack before serving.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

51 Comments / Breakfast, Uncategorized

I’m just going to say it: I’m old. It’s official. While it’s easy for me to cover up the physical manifestations of this aging process (i.e. gray hairs, fine lines, and an increasing willingness to step out in public without makeup on) there are other, less-obvious behaviors I exhibit that let me know I’m no longer 22.

Getting Older

Unsurprisingly, most of this aging can be traced back to the two toddlers that currently rule my house, and every day there are tests of my patience and stamina.

Just this morning, I made a phone call to my own mother to apologize for giving her hell over my clothing choices as a teenager. My 4 (going on 14) year old and I had just duked it out over her outfit for school, and I really thought I was reaching the brink of insanity. Almost immediately, I thought of my mother and all of those years I spent terrorizing her with my dreams of owning crop tops and booty shorts. That same strong will that made me think I was entitled to dress like Britney Spears is similar to the one I see sprouting in my own spicy little gal, and it. is. terrifying. I think those aha moments where we suddenly identify a little bit more with our parents are the rungs of the proverbial ladder that inch up every day in the aging process.

Along with the parenting stuff and gray hairs, there’s also this change in my perception of my own health as I age. I suddenly know way too much about multivitamins and antacids, and most of the cabinets in my bathroom look more like a pharmacy aisle as opposed to a beauty counter. I think about stuff like gut health and stress-related blood pressure, and truly, if I see one more fiber supplement commercial that I can easily identify with I just might freak out. As a baking blogger, I feel an even deeper sense of urgency to occasionally do a little better for myself. Cue these whole wheat blueberry muffins.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

You guys know I am all about some butter. I like dessert, I’m not afraid of sugar, and my life motto might as well be, “Everything in Moderation.” But sometimes I get the hankering to make something that I can feel good about enticing you to make. Thus, I decided to healthy it up a bit with these whole wheat blueberry muffins. Despite the increase in 100% whole wheat flour and the decrease in sugar, these muffins are fabulous. It’s just the type of thing those January resolutions need.

Making the Muffins

To make these whole wheat blueberry muffins, we start with the liquid ingredients. Milk, oil, and a single egg stir together with vanilla extract and a bit of sugar. Next, add the dry ingredients. Fresh or frozen blueberries fold into the batter before the little cups bake in a super-hot oven.

These muffins are fluffy, moist, and flavorful thanks to the spice and berries. My two year old and husband both devoured these as if they were fried jelly doughnuts. They’re really shockingly good! Give them a try and I can almost promise you that no one will guess they have whole wheat flour! My old lady wisdom tells me that you’re going to love them! Happy baking!

If you like these whole wheat blueberry muffins you should try:

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins

Blueberry Brioche

Peach Crumb Muffins

Coffee Cake Muffins

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 15 reviews

These whole wheat blueberry muffins are soft and moist. The whole wheat flour adds extra nutrition to these delicious treats!

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

Ingredients

¾ cup (180 gm) milk (I used 2%)
1/3 cup (80 gm) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
¼ cup (50 gm) brown sugar packed
1 cup (140 gm) all-purpose flour
1 cup (140 gm) 100% whole wheat flour (see notes)
2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
¼ cup sparkling sugar (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and put paper muffin lines in a 12-compartment tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, egg, and extract until smooth. Stir in the sugars. Add the flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and stir just till barely combined. Fold in the blueberries. Divide the batter among the 12-muffin compartment. Mine usually end up about 2/3- 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle the tops of each with sparkling sugar (if desired) and bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool briefly before consuming!

Notes

As an option, you can use 1-1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and only ½ cup of all-purpose flour. In this instance, use ½ cup brown sugar and only ¼ cup of white sugar. This will help to keep the muffins moist.
If you don’t plan to consume the muffins on the day of preparing them, seal them in a Tupperware or large plastic bag and freeze until ready to consume. This will help to keep the muffins moist and fresh!