Peach-Blueberry Cobbler with Scandinavian Biscuits

Here's a delicious and simple recipe to make while peaches and blueberries are seasonal and delicious!  This dessert was the grande finale to our gourmet group dinner two weeks ago and I made it again just last weekend to serve to family.

You can put this dessert together in very little time and actually prep it ahead to bake an hour before dinner, if you'd like.  I used frozen wild blueberries that I found at Walmart as I couldn't find fresh ones, and some delicious Michigan peaches from my local grocery store. 

I peeled, pitted and sliced the peaches and defrosted the blueberries in the morning and kept them covered and refrigerated separately until time to assemble the dish.  I did strain the excess juice from the blueberries before putting the filling together. The biscuit dough can be made in the morning and kept in the refrigerator until time to bake also.

The biscuits are made partly from almond meal (or flour) and they were so flaky and delicious!  I sprinkled them with Scandinavian pearl sugar before popping the dish into the oven.  Such a wonderful late summer dessert!  My SIL said it was one of the best desserts he's had. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you will be saying the same thing :)  Even my husband, who doesn't care for peaches loved it!

I still have a two more recipes to share with you from our gourmet dinner soon!  

Peach-Blueberry Cobber with Scandinavian Biscuits

Printable Recipe

FOR THE BISCUITS: 

1/2 cup almond meal/flour 

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/3 cup granulated sugar 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 cold butter (1 stick), cut into pieces 

1/2 cup cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing on top of biscuits

1/4 cup cold milk 

Pearl sugar, for sprinkling over the biscuits before baking

FOR THE FILLING: 

1/3 cup sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract) 

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2-1/2 pounds ripe peaches, peeled pitted and cut into eighths 

2 to 2-1/2 cups blueberries (wild ones have the most flavor) either fresh or frozen. I prefer to thaw the frozen ones first, and so I use 2-1/2 cups of frozen ones as they shrink after thawing.  

Vanilla Ice Cream for Serving

Heat oven to 400 degrees. 

Place almond meal/flour in a small skillet and toast over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully.  Pour out onto a plate and allow to cool.

To make the filling, combine sugar and vanilla, cornstarch and salt in a 2-1/2 quart baking dish and use a spoon to stir them together. Add sliced peaches and blueberries, and gently toss everything to combine. 

To make the biscuits, combine the cooled almond meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry cutter (or your fingers) until it looks like small pea-size granules. If using your fingers, put it into the refrigerator for a little while if the butter has gotten warm.  

In a small bowl, combine cream and milk and then, using a fork, stir it into the flour mixture just until evenly moistened. Do not overwork the dough. 

Scoop and form the dough with a spoon into 8 balls (about 1/3 cup each) on place on top of the fruit mixture. I flattened them slightly with my hand.  Brush the tops of the dough with cream and sprinkle with the pearl sugar. 

Bake about 40-45 minutes, until fruit is bubbly and the biscuits are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of one biscuit comes out with moist crumbs attached. Serve warm or at room temperature.  Refrigerate left-overs.  

Can be reheated in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  

Vanilla Ice Cream for Serving

Adapted from The New York Times 

Frozen Lemon Pie with Blueberry Sauce

Are you ready for the last holiday of summer? Do you need a dessert for your cook out this weekend? I may have the perfect idea for you.  Able to be made in advance,  it can help to make your holiday entertaining easy.

This dessert was on our Gourmet group menu that I've talked about in my last two posts.  A great finale to a wonderful night and the last of the recipes I'd like to share from our dinner party.

Cool and refreshing, this creamy pie in a graham cracker crust is like almost like eating lemon ice cream.  The lemony, blueberry topping is the perfect garnish, along with a dollop of whipped cream.  

Have a sturdy knife to slice the pie and get ready for lots of compliments!

Oh my gosh, did I say Labor Day?  September is the month when summer seems to slip away so quickly. The days seem to get shorter quickly and the evenings start to get cool here in the Midwest. We pack so much into a few short months that summer goes by in a flash.  Fingers crossed September will be kind to us and hurricanes will be kept off our shores.  My heart goes out to the people of Houston and those areas affected by Harvey.

Frozen Lemon Pie with Blueberry Sauce

Printable Recipe

For the crust (Make first)

1-1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Vegetable cooking spray

Preheat oven to 325°

In a food processor, pulse crackers, sugar and salt until finely crushed and well combined. Add melted butter, and process until thoroughly combined. Alternatively, you can crush the graham crackers in a zipper bag with a rolling pin or meat mallet.

Then, add the other ingredients until well blended.

Lightly grease a 9 inch pie plate with baking spray. Press the graham cracker mixture on the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

Bake crust 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

For the filling:

1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Lemon zest from one large lemon (about a tablespoon)

Lemon Juice from 2-3 lemons (about 1/2 cup)

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325°.

Whisk the first 3 ingredients in a bowl.

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks at high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until yolks become pale and create ribbons on the surface when the beater is lifted. Slowly whisk in sweetened condensed milk mixture until thoroughly combined.

Then add buttermilk and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture into baked and cooled crust.

Bake pie at 325° for 20 to 25 minutes, until set around edges. The pie will still be slightly jiggly. Cool pie on a wire rack for 1 hour.

Lightly spray a large piece of plastic wrap and cover pie. Freeze for at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

Keeps well in freezer for several days.

 

For the Blueberry Topping:

(Makes about 1-1/2 cups)

2 cups fresh blueberries, divided

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest from one large organic lemon (about 1 tablespoon)

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring 1 cup blueberries, sugar, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes, or until mixture has thickened and berries begin to break down.

Remove from heat, and stir in remaining 1 cup blueberries. Cool completely; cover and chill until ready to use.

When ready to serve, remove pie from freezer. Using a large knife dipped in warm water, cut pie into slices and serve with sweetened whipped cream and blueberry sauce.

Recipe adapted from Southern Living Magazine.

Blueberry-Lemon Mini Cakes for my Little Boy Blue

Baby showers are so much fun!  The anticipation of welcoming a grandson has been wonderful too. The last of the baby showers was yesterday...the one that was most special to me because it was given by my daughter for her sister and celebrated together with wonderful friends and family.


I helped my daughter by preparing favors for the shower. We decided that mini loaves of blueberry bread with the theme of Little Boy Blue would be a cute idea.




After trying several different blueberry bread and cake recipes, I came up with this recipe that produced the taste and texture I liked the best. These mini cakes are wonderful for breakfast or brunch!

 
Blueberry-Lemon Mini Cakes with Lemon Glaze
Printable Recipe

1 cup unsalted butter (1/2 pound), softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons lemon peel, grated
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cup fresh blueberries (can use frozen, if necessary)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray mini loaf pans with vegetable spray, then dust with flour. Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. Place softened butter, sugar, salt and lemon peel and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed until creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice. (I know most recipes call for adding the eggs after crearming the butter and sugar but I had a better texture creaming the eggs with the sugar and butter). Add flour mixture and mix until blended and then add sour cream and mix again. With mixer on slow speed, slowly add the milk. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in blueberries and pour into prepared pans up to 3/4 full*. I dot the top with a few extra berries.

*I found I had enough batter for one or two extra ramekins.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until tops are lightly browned and knife comes out clean. Cool the loaves for about 15 minutes in the pans and then remove to a cooling rack set over a large jelly roll pan. Prick the cakes all over with a small sharp knife and drizzle with the lemon glaze. Cool completely and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate or freeze.

While the mini loaves are baking, make the lemon glaze.

Lemon Glaze:

3/4 cup sugar
Fresh lemon juice of two whole lemons (about 1/2 cup)


In small saucepan combine the sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat just the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Keep the glaze warm until cakes are ready to be drizzled. Glaze can be reheated, if necessary.