Fresh Berries with Orange Cream Shortcakes

A perfect pairing of fresh berries served over creamy, orange infused drop shortcakes.

6 cups blackberries

6 cups strawberries, sliced

6 cups blueberries

1 cup granulated sugar

For shortcakes:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 1/2 tsp. freshly grated orange zest

1 cup sour cream

1 cup milk

2 cups well-chilled heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, combine berries and sugar and mix well. Let berries stand at room temperature for 4 hours.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets.

In large bowl whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

In separate bowl, whisk together zest, sour cream and milk. Add sour cream mixture to flour mixture and stir until it just forms a soft, sticky dough.

Using a 2 ounce ice cream scoop, drop dough onto buttered baking sheet. Space 1-inch apart. Pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness and bake 12-15 minutes, or until pale golden. Transfer shortcakes to a rack and cool.

In large bowl, beat cream with confectioners’ sugar until it holds soft peaks.

To serve, split shortcakes horizontally and fill with cream and berries. Top with additional cream and berries.

Makes 12

Corn and Blueberry Salad

6 ears fresh corn, husked and boiled, when cool cut corn from the cob

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 small cucumber, sliced (optional)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

2 TBS lime juice

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS honey

1/2 tsp ground cumin



In serving bowl combine cut corn, blueberries, cucumber, red onion, cilantro and jalapeno, (i omit the cucumber and jalapeno). For dressing, in screw top jar combine lime juice, oil, honey, cumin and salt to taste (i omit the salt). Cover and shake dressing, add to the salad and toss. cover and refrigerate overnight to let flavors blend. ONLY 152 calories!

Blueberry Crème Fraiche Tart with Poppy Seed Crust

Created by Dede Wilson, for her cookbook "Unforgettable Desserts".
This is an elegant tart featuring a sweet tart crust with the addition of poppy seed. Try it with fillings of your own, such as lemon cream or pastry cream.

Prep Time: 85 minutes

Cook Time: 15 - 20 minutes
Makes: 8 to 10 servings

1/2cup unsalted and cut into pieces (at room temperature)
5Tbsp. sugar
1 egg yolk, large
 1-1/4cup cake flour, sifted
2  cups Driscoll's Blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
2Tbsp.water

1cup crème fraiche

1/4cup sugar
1, large -large
3cups Driscoll's Blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1Tbsp.sugar
1Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/3 cup water
1tsp.lemon juice, fresh squeezed

Instructions

Coat a 10-inch loose-bottomed fluted tart pan with nonstick spray; set aside.

Beat butter in mixer’s bowl until creamy with flat paddle on medium-high speed, about 1 minute. Add sugar gradually and continue to beat, about 2 minutes at medium-high speed, until lightened and creamy.

Beat in the egg yolk until well combined.

Add flour and pulse the mixer on and off until it begins to combine, and then run mixer on low-medium speed just until dough begins to form.

Scrape out onto plastic wrap and use wrap to help press into a ball shape. Wrap the dough thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Roll out on lightly floured surface to a 13-inch round and fit into pan, pressing into corners and trimming top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze for 15 minutes while oven preheats. At this point, you can double wrap the tart shell very well in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking, or freeze up to 1 week.

Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Check about halfway through baking; if crust is puffing up, gently press back down with back of a fork. For a partially baked tart shell, bake directly on oven rack for about 8 to 12 minutes or just until it feels dry to the touch and is beginning to color around edges. For a fully baked tart shell, bake directly on oven rack for about 15 to 20 minutes or just until it is very light golden brown. Cool completely on rack.

Check about halfway through baking; if crust is puffing up, gently press back down with back of a fork. Cool completely on rack.

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. As soon as the mixture looks juicy, use a potato masher to crush the berries. Continue to boil, stirring often, for about 6 to 8 minutes or until berries have broken down and mixture has thickened slightly. Cool completely, stirring occasionally to release heat.

Scrape crème fraiche into small saucepan, whisk to loosen gently and heat over low heat until warm, whisking occasionally. Keep warm and set aside.

Whisk egg and sugar together in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in crème fraiche until custard is smooth.

Spread blueberry filling evenly over bottom of pan, and then slowly pour custard over fruit. Some of the fruit might come up through the custard creating a marbled effect; that is fine.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or just until custard is set. It should lightly jiggle in the center when you gently shake the pan, but will be firmer around the edges. Cool pan completely on rack, then refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Place blueberries in a heat-proof bowl. Stir sugar and cornstarch together in a small saucepan. Whisk in water and lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk often and boil until mixture is clear, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Immediately scrape mixture over blueberries and toss gently to coat.

Quickly and gently scoop berries out of bowl and arrange in an even layer over chilled tart.

Refrigerate up to 4 hours. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

Healthy Blueberry Bran Muffin

This recipe comes from the Driscoll Berry Web Site - sign up for discount coupons on their site.

The trio of flaxseed, whole what flour and blueberries give these muffins a mighty nutritional punch.

In baked goods, flaxseed adds tenderness and moisture and replaces some of the added fat. Over-stirring muffin batter tends to cause peaked tops. Use a flexible spatula or wooden spoon to combine wet and dry ingredients, and gently fold in the berries to avoid crushing.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Makes: 12 servings

1 cup wheat flour

3/4cups flour

2/3 packed brown sugar

1/3 cup flaxseed meal

1/3 cup raw wheat or oat bran

1 1/2tsp. baking powder

1/2tsp. baking soda

1/4tsp.salt

1 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt

2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil

1/4 cup orange juice or water

2 large eggs

1pkg. (6 oz) Driscoll’s Blueberries



Preheat oven to 400°F.

Line 12 muffin cups with papers or coat with cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients (whole wheat flour through salt) in a large bowl; stir well.

Stir together yogurt, oil, eggs and juice or water in a small bowl.

Add to dry mixture; stir to nearly blend wet and dry ingredients.

Fold in blueberries just until batter is completely moistened.

Divide batter between prepared muffin cups.

Bake 18 minutes or until golden brown and pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack.

Blueberries Bryan - For Brunch

“What’s brunch?”
“You’d love it.  It’s not quite breakfast, it’s not quite lunch, but it comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end.  You don’t get completely what you would at breakfast, but you get a good meal.”

– The Simpsons

Blueberries Bryan

French bread, cut into 3/4-inch slices
8 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 to 2 cups fresh blueberries

Place the bread slices in a greased 6 x 10-inch baking dish. Cut extra bread to fill in any open spaces on the bottom. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Pour over the bread slices. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes for the bread to soak up the liquid. Turn the bread slices over to evenly soak the other side.
Combine the butter, brown sugar and flour in a bowl. Mix with a pastry blender. Stir in the oats. Sprinkle over the soaked bread. Top evenly with walnuts and blueberries.




Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until puffed and the edges are bubbling. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.

Yield: 8 servings

This diabolical brunch plot is sheer elegance in its utter simplicity.  Take baked French toast, combine it with a fruit crisp topping, and add fresh fruit.  It is quick and easy, and the result is mind-bogglingly delicious.  Additionally, the blueberries and rolled oats give all the dish an air of healthy wholesomeness, of which it is clearly undeserving.

Apple and Blueberry Hand Pies

Makes about 16 pies

6 Apples
2 tablespoons butter
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
2 boxes prepared frozen puff pastry
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Flour for dusting work surface

Directions

Preheat oven to 450-degrees F.

Thaw the sheets of puff pastry as per the box instructions.

Peel and core the apples and cut into quarters. Toss the apples in the lemon juice so they do not brown while you are dicing them. Cut each quarter into about 2-3 one inch pieces.

In a large saute pan over medium heat melt the butter until lightly browned, add the apples and saute for about 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the honey and a pinch of salt and toss to mix in well, transfer to the oven and roast for about 15 minutes until apples are soft. Mash with a fork while still warm. Let the apples cool to room temperature and gently fold in the berries.

Turn oven down to 400 degrees F.

In a small mixing bowl beat one egg. In another small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar.

Lay the thawed puff pastry sheets out flat on a floured work surface. Cut large circles out of the pastry with a ring cutter, about 4 per pastry sheet. Brush with the egg-wash on the outer edge of half of the circle. Spoon two tablespoons of the apple berry mixture in the center of each round of pastry dough. Fold the dough over to cover the filling, making a semi-circle and sealing the edges.

Place pies on a buttered oven tray. Repeat with the rest of the pastry dough. When all of the pies are on a sheet tray cut air holes in the top of each pie and brush the tops with egg-wash. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes until puffed and nicely browned.