Blueberry Cobbler

It's finally here. After months of waiting, I got the call. If anything was going to shake me out of a sweaty summer cooking hiatus, it was this.

Thanks, Toronto Public Library. Thomas Keller's most recent tome claims to feature accessible and simple food. This is half true-there are some simple dishes to be certain but the majority call for ingredients and tools the average home cook won't have on hand. I can't pick up piment d'Espelette at the nearest grocery and my budget certainly won't allow for a blow torch right now, but I can dream.

In fact, I was so inspired by this beautifully composed book I chose to forgo sleep a few nights

ago for some late night baking. The blueberry cobbler seemed simple enough and I had all the ingredients on hand by some miracle.

Blueberry Cobbler

• 1 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 6 tbsp / 3 oz / 3/4 of a stick/ 1/3 of a cup
• 1 cup + 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 buttermilk (I substituted yogurt with no problem)
• 4 pints/8 cups blueberries (sacrilege-I used frozen and it worked out alright. But it's wildblueberry season in my lovely home province of Nova Scotia so I urge you to seek out the good stuff)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon sugar

Heat oven to 350˚.

In a medium bowl sift or whisk together 1 3/4 cups flour with the baking powder and baking soda.

In a large bowl cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar (by hand or with stand mixer) until light and creamy-make sure butter has come to room temperature before you begin. Beat in the eggs (also at room temp) one at a time until incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches,

alternating with the buttermilk/yogurt added in 2 batches. Flour, buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, flour.

In yet another large bowl, mix the blueberries with 1/4 cup of sugar, 2 tbsp flour and the lemon zest. If using frozen berries there is no need to thaw before using. Spread berries evenly in an 11 inch square or 13 by 9 inch baking pan.

Spoon batter over the berries in clumps, leaving some space in between. Combine the

remaining 1 tbsp of sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over top.

Bake approximately 40 minutes, until berries are bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. For best results serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. It will keep for several days.

Blueberry Pudding

I did not make this-for my last supper at home before heading back to a dorm room, my dad made some of my favourites. I'll start by posting possibly my favourite dessert-hot blueberry pudding with cinnamon whipped cream. This comes from my dad's recollection of a Craig Claiborne recipe (he thinks) from many years ago. I am leaving my dad's text as is because it amuses me and I've actually never made this.

Hot Blueberry Pudding with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

• 2 litres (a loaf) of good bread (wholewheat, multi-grain, artisan, ...), crust trimmed, cut into 12 mm/ 1/2" cubes
• 250 gm unsalted butter
• 375 gm sugar
• 1 litre low-bush (wild) blueberries
• 250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
• strong cinnamon sugar

1. Melt the butter in a large deep sauté pan over medium high heat. When the bubbles have settled add the bread cubes, stirring to coat with butter. Stir regularly until cubes are browning, but not burned.
2. Add the sugar and keep on the heat until the sugar melts and begins to carmelize. ---this can be done a few hours ahead, and the pan & bread set aside. Reheat to soften the sugar ---
3. Turn the heat to high. Add the blueberries to the hot bread cubes, and stir until the berries are heated through.
4. Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream, using cinnamon sugar.
5. Immediately serve into bowls with a good glob of cinnamon whipped cream. Garnish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

NOTES
Sauté the bread and sugar, and whip the cream a few hours before the meal. The final addition and cooking of the berries must be done just before serving.
This is the Zimmer family’s favourite thing for Peter to do with fresh Nova Scotian low-bush wild blueberries. Other times of the year it can be made with thawed frozen wild blueberries- thaw in the fridge for a couple hours.
The large high-bush blueberries don’t have the intensity of flavour of the “wild” low-bush berries from Eastern Canada and New England.

Blueberry Coffee Cake with Lemon Spice Streusel

Do we have any blueberries, I wondered, as I opened the fridge door.
Oh yes. Oh my.

This recipe comes from Cooking with Les Dames d'Escoffier. Les Dames d'Escoffier are a female culinary association dedicated to the advancement of women in the field. Some of their luminaries include Julia Child, Alice Waters and Dorie Greenspan. This is a collection of their favourite recipes for home cooking, written very accessibly. So you know it's going to be good. I actually took this out of the library but it has quickly moved to #1 on my wishlist. Tons of great recipes along with wine pairings which is crucial for me, because I am absolutely clueless and unsophisticated when it comes to wine. The book is also peppered with personal anecdotes about these women's careers as chefs, restauranteurs, food writers, photographers, caterers, as well as some great kitchen tips. There are very few photos but, hey, I trust them and this cake did not disappoint. Also a way to use up some of the buttermilk I bought for the waffles this past weekend.

Buttermilk Berry Coffee Cake with Lemon Spice Topping
For the cake:

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen works too, could also use raspberries, blackberries, etc.)
• 2 tsp lemon juice

For the streusel:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 3 tbsp butter, room temperature
  

1. Pre-heat oven to 350˚ and butter a 9-inch springform pan. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl of electric mixer or by hand (check out our old school mixmaster and understand my longing for a KitchenAid).
2. Add the eggs one by one. Beat in the vainlla.
3. Sift together your dry ingredients and alternate adding them and the buttermilk, gradually, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not overbeat.
4. Pour half of the batter into pan, and try to make it as level as possible. Toss together lemon juice and blueberries, sprinkle on top and add remaining batter over top.
5. For the streusel, combine dry ingredients in small bowl and cut in the butter until you have a nice crumb-y streusel texture. Sprinkle over top and bake approx 1 hour 10 minutes, checking doneness with a skewer. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Undo the springform and serve warm or at room temperature.