Blueberry Breakfast Bars

I love fruit, but one of the most versatile fruits that I love are blueberries.  They are sweet and are easy to freeze.  In fact, I stock up in summer so I can use them all winter long.  This recipe using blueberries is adapted from Whole Grain Mornings.  It combines my love of blueberries with my love of eating breakfast.  Sometimes I want something sweet, but sometimes I want something savory.  There are both here.  These particular blueberry breakfast bars remind me of the not so great bars you can buy in the store, except these are much better for you and just taste that much better!

Blueberry Breakfast Bars
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons from 1/2 a fresh squeezed lemon
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon water
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg, beaten
8 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
3-4 tablespoon ice water

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter an 8 inch pan.

For the filling: In a saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water.  Stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer.  Continue stirring until berries begin to break down and sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat.



For the crust: In a food processor pulse together rolled oats, almonds, sesame seeds until they are chunky, about 30 seconds.  Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder and pulse a few times more.  Add the egg and butter and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of large crumbs.

To assemble: Press half the crust mixture into the prepared pan.  Pour the berry filling on top and spread evenly.  Scatter the remainder of the crust mixture across the top.

Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Let cool completely in the pan.  Slice into bars.

Blueberry Brioche

I have read a lot of recipes about brioche.  I have also eaten my fair share of it, though I have never attempted before to make it, let alone a variation of the bread.  But when I saw the cover of Huckleberry, I knew that I would have to make it sooner or later.  I bought the book for a friend of mine as she has more time to bake than I.  Plus, when I have the time, I tend to be experimenting with dinner recipes rather than baking.   I also feel that baking isn't really where I need to spend my time learning as I have been baking since I was quite young.  My grandma lived on the same street, and she would often bake on Saturday morning.  When I was a little older I would bake with her.  She would make a full sized version of cinnamon rolls and then give me enough dough to make a miniature version which was all mine to eat.  So, while I enjoy baking, I really enjoy eating good food, so I spend my time on that endeavor instead of baking.

Blueberry Brioche

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

2 1/4 cups flour

6 tablespoons sugar, plus more for the top

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 egg yolk

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, soft

Place the fresh blueberries on a plate and freeze.  (Frozen blueberries are too watery, so freeze your own from fresh.  I often buy extra berries and freeze them immediate for use during the winter.)  Warm the milk to 105-115 F (warmer will kill the yeast).  Add milk to a mixing bowl and add the yeast.  Whisk to combine.  Add the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, eggs and egg yolk to the bowl.  Mix on low speed (with a dough hook) until the dough comes together, 1-2 minutes.

Increase speed to medium-low and work dough for 6 minutes.  Push the dough down the sides a few times during the 6 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add the butter a little at a time over 2 minutes.  When the butter is beginning to be combined, increase speed to medium -high to fully mix in the butter, about 5 minutes.

Dump the dough on a lightly floured work surface and press into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle.  Distribute the blueberries and 2 tablespoons sugar along the top edge and gently roll down toward you into a log.

Place the log on a greased sheet pan, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.

Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.  Reshape the dough one more time by pressing into a 12 x 6 inch rectangle and cover with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.  With the dough in a vertical position, roll it towards you tightly.  Place in the greased loaf pan, wrap loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for about 3 hours or until double in size.

Preheat your oven to 350 F.  Brush the dough with some milk and dust with sugar.  (Don't let it pool.)  Bake until golden brown - about 45 minutes.  Allow to cool for about 15 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Rustic Peach and Blueberry Tart

I ordered Palisade peaches this year and received the box not too long ago.  While I prefer nectarines to peaches (there is just something about the fuzz that drives me crazy when it sticks to me), these peaches are delicious.  They are also shipped all over the U.S.  One year I was in the grocery store when the first of the season had come in.  I bought some and went back for more.  I picked one up and it was so large that I could hardly hold it in one hand.  Out of curiosity I put in on the scale and it weighed nearly a pound.  I had to try it.  Sometimes the larger the vegetable or fruit it, the less good it is, but this was not the case, though it was quite filling!

 

  At any rate, I have been looking over recipes for ideas for my peaches.  I came across this one from the Back in the Day Cookbook.  It is a close adaptation of the one in the book by Griffith and Cheryl Day.  I was also impressed by their recipe for the crust.  I haven't made one with cornmeal in it, but it was beautifully balanced and turned out well. (Though for some reason dough likes me, though I don't particularly like it.)

Rustic Peach and Blueberry Tart
3 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1.5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I freeze them from fresh.)
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar

Put the peaches, blueberries and vanilla sugar in a bowl and let sit for at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the crust:
1.5 cups flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
2 Tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
water to bring dough together

Heat oven to 425f.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Cut in unsalted butter until incorporated into course texture.  Add water sufficient to bring the dough just together.  Add slowly so your dough doesn't get too wet.  Roll out into a 12 inch circle.

Pour the peaches and blueberries into the center of the dough allowing a 2 inch circle around the edges.  Fold the edges over the fruit.  Pour the juice from the berries and peaches into the center.  Brush the crust with milk and dust with sugar.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes.  Serve warm.

This is also delicious cold and will keep a few days in the refrigerator.  It would also be wonderful with a scoop of ice cream.  Serves about 8, cut small pieces.