Blueberry Sauce

We left our blueberry picking adventure with a booklet of recipes to make with our blueberries.  This recipe for blueberry sauce is good on anything from pancakes to ice cream.

Blueberry Sauce 

From the Kitchen of Lynnae Hymas 

Adapted from a recipe by the Couturier Blueberry Farm 

Ingredients 

• ¼ cup sugar 
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 
• ½ cup water or fruit juice 

Directions 

In a medium sized saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the blueberries to the pan and mash them with a potato masher and combine them with the sugar mixture. Gradually stir in the water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until the sauce is thick.

Individual Fruit Tart

For Father’s Day this year, the men at church each received an individual fruit tart.  Turns out they are one of my husband’s favorite desserts.  Who knew?  After our Ludington, MI blueberry picking adventure, he asked me to make him a batch.  No surprise here, but they went fast.  This recipe is adapted from Our Best Bites fruit pizza, and the fruit glaze is a recipe from Heather Brown.

Raw Ingredients

Creamed Butter and Egg

Frosted Cookies

Glazed Fruit

Finished Product

Individual Fruit Tarts

From the Kitchen of Lynnae Hymas

Crust

·         1 cup real butter (no substitutions!)

·         1 cup white sugar

·         1 egg

·         1 teaspoon almond extract

·         3 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

·         ½ teaspoon table salt

Creamy Topping

·         1 8-once package cream cheese (light cream cheese is fine)

·         ¼ cup brown sugar

·         1 cup whipping cream

·         ½ cup powdered sugar

Pizza Topping

·         1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled, sliced, and patted dry

·         1 pint blueberries, washed and patted dry

Clear Fruit Glaze

·         ½ cup Sugar

·         1 cup water or pineapple juice

·         2 tablespoon cornstarch

·         2 tablespoon corn syrup

Directions

For the crust, using a mixer, cream the butter and egg until light and fluffy.  The butter and egg should be room temperature—it’ll take about 5-7 minutes.  Add sugar and extract and cream together.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Spoon the flour into the cup and then level it off with a knife.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined.

Roll out the dough to about ¼ of an inch thick.  Using a biscuit cutter or  even a quart jar lid ring, cut the dough into individual circles and put on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon baking mat.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. 

Bake at 350°F for 8-12 minutes.  If you like them really soft and slightly chewy, about 8-9 minutes does it. If you like them slightly crisp and buttery, then go for 10-12. Allow to cool completely.

While the crust is cooling, start making the clear fruit glaze.  Bring ½ cup sugar to a boil with ½ cup of the water or juice.  Dissolve corn starch in ½ cup of the water or juice and add it to the sugar mixture.  Cook stirring until mixture thickens and clears.  Stir in corn syrup.  Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.  Cool.

When the crust is almost cool, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and combine well.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange the berries as desired over the creamy topping. Using a pastry brush, brush the fruit with the clear fruit glaze. 

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 24 tarts.

Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins

It’s blueberry season here in Michigan.  We spent last weekend in Lundington, MI, and found the most amazing u-pick blueberry farm, Couturier Blueberry Farm.  We came home with at least 30 pounds of the most beautiful blueberries.  

We froze most of them to enjoy during the winter months, but, I found myself on a quest for the perfect blueberry muffins.   Of course, I didn’t have to look too far, because the girls at Our Best Bites never disappoint.  Here is Kate’s delicious recipe:

Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins
Recipe from Our Best Bites 

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
2 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoons table salt
½ cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
2 teaspoon grated orange or lemon peel
1 large egg
¾ cup buttermilk
⅓ cup canola oil
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon sugar

Streusel Topping
¼ cup sugar
2 ½ tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Prepare your muffin tins with liners or coat with shortening and flour. Add the 1 ¾ cups flour, baking powder, salt, 1/2 cup sugar, and peel into a bowl.  Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with a knife to ensure the correct volume of flour.   Make a well in the center of mixture.  In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and oil.  Add to the dry ingredient well and stir until moistened.

In a separate bowl, combine 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Toss the berries in the mixture until well coated.  Fold the berries into the batter and spoon the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup ⅔ full.  

Mix the streusel topping by combining the sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture is crumbly.  Sprinkle over the top of each muffin cup.  Put the muffin tin into the pre-heated oven and bake for about 18 minutes, until the tops are a golden brown.  You can test the muffins by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins. If it comes out clean, they are done.  Allow to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then cool them on a cooling rack.  Makes 12 muffins.

Greek Yogurt

I love Greek yogurt. Not too long ago, I tried this amazing Chobani Flip Greek yogurt cup and swore I could never go back to normal yogurt. But, the treat is expensive, and my kids love it as much as I do, so, we made our own version.

First, pour a gallon of whole milk into a heavy pot.  The way the milk is processed can affect the outcome of the yogurt.  I used to use Kroger milk, and then all of the sudden my yogurt started coming out with a funny texture.  I finally switched to slightly more expensive brand of milk and the yogurt came out great again.

I use my enameled Dutch oven. The heavier the pot, the less scalding of milk you will get. Then, heat the milk to 185 degrees F over medium to medium high heat. Once you reach that temperature, cool the mixture back down to about a 120 degrees F.

When the milk temperature drops below 130, I like to add my sugars and flavorings because they help to further cool the milk. Flavorings and sugars are completely optional, but I will give you my favorites. I use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of coconut extract, and 1 cup of sugar. If you prefer it plain, leave these out.

Next, you’ll add your yogurt starter. This is usually cold and can cool the batch below 120 degrees. Don’t panic. I’ve never had a problem as long as it’s around that temperature. You will get your starter from an existing batch of yogurt. It does NOT need to be Greek. You can start with some plain yogurt purchased at the store. Not all yogurts are created equal, so stick with the higher quality brands. I prefer to use four Yoplait Vanilla single serving cups. I like the Yoplait start best of all the kinds I’ve tried. (After you have established a batch, you can use a start from the previous batch you made, saving money. I fill up a pint sized jar with the yogurt before processing to use for a new batch in lieu of the containers of yogurt. However, it seems to turn out creamiest using a fresh start from the store).

At this point, I fill the bottom of a medium sized cooler with the hottest water I can get from my sink, which is around that magic 120 degree number. Be careful not to fill it too high. You want to be able to put your jars of yogurt in without covering the lids with water.

Next, fill your jars with the yogurt. I found the easiest way to do this is with a ladle and a large mouth funnel. I also like to strain the yogurt through a fine mesh strainer to get any milk skim out, but that is an optional step. 

Finally, put the lids on the jars and put them in the warmed up cooler to incubate for 3-6 hours. The less time, the less sour the taste will be. I have found 4 hours to be ideal for us. Refrigerate overnight and you have yogurt.

Now the fun part, turning it into Greek. Line your colander with the cloth and set them inside a larger bowl. Then, empty 2-3 quart jars (depending on how much room you have) of the yogurt into the cloth to allow about the whey to drain off, stirring occasionally. Drain off about 40%-50% of the original volume until you have the creamy consistency you dream of. The lower bowl will be full of whey, which I currently just dispose of. Return the yogurt to a jar and keep refrigerated. Repeat with the remaining jars of yogurt, reserving a pint sized jar if you are planning on using it for the start for your next batch.

Greek Yogurt

From the Kitchen of Lynnae Hymas

 Supplies

·          Cooler

·          Large heavy pot

·          5 quart jars and 1 pint jar and lids

·          Small, fine meshed strainer

·          Large mouth funnel

·          Ladle

·          Thermometer

·          Colander

·          Bowl

·          Tightly woven cheese cloth or similar cloth

Ingredients

·         1 gallon milk

·         4 small containers Yoplait vanilla yogurt

·         1 c. granulated sugar

·         1 tsp vanilla extract

·         2 tsp coconut extract

Directions

Heat the milk in a heavy sauce pan to 185 degrees.  Cool to 120 degrees.  Add sugar, extracts, and Yoplait yogurt.  Using the ladle, strain the yogurt into the quart jars through the fine mesh strainer, using the large mouth funnel.  You can fill a pint jar to use as a start for your next batch of yogurt instead of the Yoplait,  Fill the bottom of a large ice chest with 120 degree water.   Incubate the yogurt for 4 hours.  Refrigerate overnight. 

Using a colander lined with a cloth and resting on another bowl, strain off about 40% to 50% of the whey and return the yogurt to a quart jar.

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