Maine Wild Blueberry Gingerbread

Blueberry season is upon us here in Maine, a season, I for one, look forward to every summer.  Maine's wild blueberries grow naturally in fields and barrens throughout the Downeast coast and are indigenous to Maine .  Native Americans were the first to use the tiny blue berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, nutrition and healing qualities but it was not until the 1840′s that wild blueberries were first harvested commercially.  

I found this recipe in a flyer called Maine Blueberry Recipes, put out by the Maine Department of Agriculture.  If your looking for a moist and really delicious quick bread, this is the one to try.  Fresh or frozen blueberries may be used and it freezes very well. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons molasses

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350°

butter and line the bottom with parchment paper a 5X9 inch loaf pan.

1.   In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and salt until well combined.

2.   Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy.

3.   In a large bowl, sift together the flour, ginger and cinnamon, set aside.

4.   In a small bowl, add molasses and baking soda, stir to combine and set aside.

5.   Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, starting with the flour first then buttermilk and ending with flour.  Mix until completely combined.  Add molasses mixture and mix to combine.  Fold in by hand the blueberries and mix carefully but thoroughly to distribute the berries throughout the mix.

 6.   Pour into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.  Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons sugar, evenly over the top of the batter.  Place in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.  Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack.  Allow to cool for an hour, then turn out onto rack to cool completely before cutting.  Enjoy!

 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Yet another cold and rainy day here in Maine today, I'm needing the warmth of the wood stove, or better yet, the oven!  I have fresh strawberries and cream cheese in the fridge, I think some Strawberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies are in order.  A tender light and flaky crust wrapping itself around a not to sweet filling of strawberries and cream cheese, with a hint of lemon.  Oh yeah, this days getting better already!  

 Ingredients

Recipe makes 12  3-1/2" pies

For the strawberry filling...

1 Tablespoon butter

2 cups fresh strawberries , sliced

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon all purpose flour,sifted

For the cream cheese filling...

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 large egg yolk

For the crust...

2 cups all purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks) cold, cut into small cubes

1 large egg

3 Tablespoons cold milk

1 egg for egg wash

coarse sugar, optional 

1.   Prepare the filling first.  Place butter in a medium saucepan on medium, heat until butter starts to brown.  Add strawberries, lemon juice and sugar.  Stir to incorporate and bring to a low simmer.  Cook 5 minutes until strawberries have released their juices.  Remove pan from burner and cool completely.  Add flour and stir to combine.  Spread the mixture into a large 

plate and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

  

2.   In a small bowl, whisk cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest and egg yolk until smooth.  Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

3.   In a bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt.  Pulse several times to mix.  Add cold butter cubes and pulse only until pea sized lumps remain.  In a small bowl beat together, the egg and milk and add to the dry ingredients and pulse until moisture is introduced throughout all of the flour mixture.  Do not over process. Transfer flour mixture to a lightly floured work surface, and gather mixture together until it forms a ball.  Divide evenly in half and shape into a disk.  Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

 4.  Remove one disk from the refrigerator and on a well floured surface, roll the dough out to an 11-1/2X11-1/2" square, shy of 1/8" thick.  Using a 3 1/2" square cookie cutter, a pastry wheel or a knife work well also, cut out 9 squares.  Gather together scraps and set aside.  Do the same with the other disk.  Take your leftover scraps and combine into a disk, roll and cut and repeat until you have a total of 24 squares.

In a small bowl, beat remaining egg with 1 Tbs. of water, brush 1/2 of the squares all over with the egg wash.

Spoon about a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture and a teaspoon of the strawberries in the middle of each egg washed square, don't over fill.  Top with the second (unwashed) piece of dough and press all around with your finger, or the tines of a fork.  With a sharp knife poke a few small holes on top to vent steam.  Brush top of each pie with egg wash and if desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar.  Place tarts on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill.

 5.   Heat oven to 375° let the tarts rest in the refrigerator while the oven preheats.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a light golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, then remove from pan to a wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

For more fresh fruit recipes, click the links below.

Lavender and Lovage

 What Kate Baked 

Meyer Lemon and Lavender Bars

   The combination of lemon and lavender is like a match made in heaven.  Meyer lemons are native to China, they are sweeter and less acidic than the more common lemon varieties.  Lavender is a member of the mint family and has a sweet floral flavor, with lemon and citrus notes which lends itself so well with fresh lemon.  Lavender flowers are very strong flavor, so the secret is that a little goes a long way.
   Combine a lavender scented flaky crust and a sweet and slightly tangy Myer lemon filling and you have the perfect tea time indulgence!  They also freeze beautifully!

                                                           Ingredients

For The Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated Myer lemon (regular lemon may be substituted)
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 teaspoon culinary lavender flowers (not from the florist) lightly chopped

For The Filling
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cups fresh Meyer lemon juice (regular lemon may be substituted)
1 Tablespoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest (regular lemon may be substituted)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Confectioners sugar for dusting

1.   Preheat your oven to 325° F. Butter well a 9X13X2 inch baking pan.

2.   To make the crust, in a mixing bowl combine the flour, confectioners sugar, zest and salt.  Using a mixer on low speed mix to blend ingredients, about 1 minute.  Add the butter pieces and beat on medium speed until the butter pieces resemble small peas.  About 2 minutes.  Do not over mix.  Add the lavender flowers and mix by hand with a spatula.  Dump the course crumbs into the buttered baking pan and spread evenly around the bottom and up about 1 inch on the sides.  Press lightly all over.

3.   Place in the preheated oven and bake just until the edges are lightly browned, about 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside.  Reduce the oven temperature to 300° F.



4.   To make the filling, in a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs just until blended.  Add the granulated sugar, lemon juice and zest, whisk until smooth.  Sift the flour into the bowl and whisk until incorporated.  Slowly pour the filling over the crust.  Bake until the filling is set and does not wobble when the pan is shaken, 40-50 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.  Cut into desired sized squares and sift confectioners sugar over top.  May be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days or frozen for up to a month.



Click the link below for more yummy recipes!

Lavender and Lovage 

Orange Currant Cookies

  

  These delectable orange flavored currant studded wafer cookies are wonderfully light and flaky.  They may be cut in any desired shape, but I like them in neat generous squares.  They are delicious with a cup of tea in the afternoon, before the kids come home!

                                              Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks ) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 large egg
2 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons ground almonds
3 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup currants
grated zest of 2 oranges
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cream or milk, for glaze

1.   In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light.  Add the eggs, the yolks and the ground almond one at a time mixing well after each addition until well combined.  Mix in orange zest to combine.

2.   Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt and add to the butter mixture, mixing until partially incorporated, add currants and finish mixing  to incorporate the currants into the dough until blended.  Dump the dough onto  your work table and gather together to form a dough ball.  Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.

3.  Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to a 15" X 15" square, about 1/4 " thick.  Using a sharp knife or a crimped pastry cutter, cut or roll making 4 three inch cuts across and 4 three inch cuts down, making 25 three inch cookie squares.  Place the squares on the parchment lined baking sheets and brush the cookies lightly with the egg glaze.  Bake until light golden in color, about 22 minutes being careful not to over bake. 

4.   Cool the pan slightly then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, if they last that long!