Blueberries | Peonies and Pretty Things

The flavors of this crisp are so rich. The crumble on top is not just a sugary cinnamon oatmeal crisp, the additional spices of ground ginger and nutmeg help add depth to the flavor for a really well rounded perfect berry crisp! A great way to use up those berries that are near the end of their life. An amazing summer treat, perfect for an after dinner treat with guests or to enjoy on the porch after a grill-out!

Mixed Berry Crisp

Recipe taken from New Pioneer Food Co-op

(Courtesy of Allison Gnade; Bon Appetit, August 1999)

2-12 oz. packages frozen berries (unthawed) OR 1.5 lbs fresh berries

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour, divided into 1/4 cup and 3/4 cup

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

3/4 cup dry oatmeal (I used Quaker 1 Minute Oats)

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

7 Tablespoons butter, diced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine berries, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and lemon juice. Toss to blend and transfer into 9″ glass pie dish/baking dish/ramekins. Combine remaining ingredients (including the 3/4 cup flour), except butter. Rub in diced butter with fingertips. Sprinkle crumble over berries. Bake until berries bubble up thickly, about 1 hour. *Note: If using ramekins, adjust time (mine cooked 25-30 minutes). Let stand 15 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

I cut the raspberries in half to help them go further.

Cut up the strawberries and add to the bowl of berries.

Pretty berries! So excited for summer!

Add the 1/4 cup sugar to the berries!

Add 1/4 cup of flour to the berries. I also happened to have a Meyer lemon in my fridge, so I used that for the lemon juice. The lemon helps un-muddy the berry flavor.

Add 1/4 cup of flour to the berries. If after mixing there seems to be a bit too much flour, add a few more berries. I also happened to have a Meyer lemon in my fridge, so I used that for the lemon juice. The lemon helps un-muddy the berry flavor.

Using my handy juicer! Tip: Squeeze the lemon seed side down, as the seeds probably won't go through the holes, and it helps to contain the juice and keep it from flying back at you.

Using my handy juicer! Tip: Squeeze the lemon, cut side down, as the seeds probably won’t go through the holes, and it helps to contain the juice and keep it from flying back at you.

Mix up the berries and dish into individual ramekins. Make sure there is an even mix to the types of berries in each dish.

In a separate bowl combine the oatmeal, brown sugar and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl combine the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. I didn’t pack the brown sugar as much as typically.

with the rest of the spices. Whisk together with a whisk to ensure all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.

Add the rest of the spices. Mix together with a whisk to ensure all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.

Dice up the 7 Tablespoons of butter.

Add the butter bits to the dry ingredients and mix with your fingers, mushing the butter apart and mixing so all of the dry ingredients are blended with the butter. There should be no “loose” dry ingredients remaining, it should all be incorporated into the smashed butter.

Top each ramekin with a handful of the buttery crumble topping.

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.

Top with a little vanilla bean frozen yogurt and enjoy!

Total recipe: 59 WW Points/5 servings=12 WW Points per ramekin

Top with 1/2 cup Vanilla Bean frozen yogurt (3 WW points)

Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish

This breakfast is where heaven meets earth. Nothing beats this buttery flaky pastry with rich cream cheese filling and fresh blueberries. This really must be what heaven is like. These danishes would be fantastic for serving to guests for breakfast or brunch.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish

(Makes 4 pastries)

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry dough, cut into 4 squares
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup fresh blueberries (or any berry of your choice)

Icing:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Set out 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry dough, cut into 4 even squares. Place the squares on a greased cookie sheet to defrost 40 minutes prior to baking. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cream together cream cheese and sugar, then add the flour and vanilla & mix thoroughly. Portion out the cream cheese filling onto the four pastry squares and spread the cream cheese out into a level circle. Place a handful of blueberries onto each cream cheese & fold up two of the outside corners. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until puff pastry dough is golden brown. Let pastries cool and whisk together the icing ingredients, ensuring no lumps of powdered sugar (icing will be runny). Once pastries are room temperature, drizzle with the icing.

The original recipe can be found at Vision of Sugar-Plums. I modified it ever so slightly. Natalie did a great job of putting together that cream cheese filling recipe-fantastic!

Unfold 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry dough, and cut into 4 sheets. Arrange the four squares on a greased cookie sheet to defrost (approximately 40 minutes before baking-according to the package).

While the puff pastry dough squares are defrosting, cream together the cream cheese and sugar, then add the flour and vanilla & mix thoroughly. (I used light cream cheese and it tasted great!)

After the cream cheese filling is all mixed together, portion out the cream cheese onto the center of the pastry pieces.

After the cream cheese filling is all mixed together, portion out the filling onto the center of the pastry squares.

Use a knife to gently spread out the dollop, leveling out the cream cheese to make a home for the blueberries. Not pushing the cream cheese out to the edges where it would fall off the pastry and burn.

Use a knife to gently spread out the cream cheese filling, leveling it out to make a home for the blueberries. Not pushing the filling too far out to the edges where it would fall off the pastry and burn.

Like so.

Add a handful of fresh blueberries!

Fold up two opposite corners of the pastry.

Take care when folding up the portion of the pastry sheet that has the seam as that point is slightly weak & it could tear.

Bake at 400 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes. Puff pastry should be slightly golden in color throughout when done.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 Tablespoon milk. The frosting glaze will be runny. Once the pastries have cooled, drizzle them with the frosting glaze.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 Tablespoon milk. Make sure there are no lumps of powdered sugar. The icing will be runny. Once the pastries have cooled, drizzle them with the icing.

Make sure to take the time to let the pastries cool to room temperature before drizzling with the icing or it will soak into the pastry, and it will not be as presentable. The icing is such a great addition to the creamy filling and fresh blueberries, it compliments the blueberries & adds a bit of sweetness to compensate for some of the berries that may be more tart since they are fresh.