Blueberry Crumble Squares

I'm really glad I stumbled onto this blog.  I like her style, she isn't all about the $$ as she refuses to accept products and books to review for her blog (which is really refreshing), AND she created these delicious blueberry squares....(well, she calls them bars - but let's not call the whole thing off).  

My husband and I scarfed the whole pan down in 2 days.  And I would have immediately tossed together another batch, had I another pint of berries.  Tossed together is appropriate, given how incredibly easy this is to make.  Like, 5 minutes prep.  And I didn't even grease the pan!

Blueberry Crumble Squares
slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 cup oats
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch

In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, oats, baking powder, and salt.  Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Divide in half and using the back of a spoon, press half of the dough into the pan.

In another bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blueberries. Pour the blueberry mixture over the dough into a 9x9 inch pan.  With your fingers, crumble the remaining dough over top of the blueberries.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. 

Peach and Blueberry Pie

Yes, more blueberries and peaches! Can't get enough.  The thing with buying a big basket of peaches is you have to wait for days until they ripen, and then you can't eat them fast enough before they spoil.
Oh well - guess I have to make another pie!

This was probably my best pie crust ever....I'm not sure what I did differently this time....(or what I didn't do) or maybe practice makes perfect.

Peach and Blueberry Pie 

filling
1 pint fresh blueberries
5 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
juice from 1/2 lemon or 1 tbsp lemon juice

pastry
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
4-6 tbsp ice cold water

Rinse the blueberries and set aside.  To make the
pastry, sift 2 cups all purpose flour into a medium bowl, then add cubes of shortening.  Using a pastry cutter, combine flour and shortening together. Add 4 tbsp ice cold water, and continue to blend.  Add more water as necessary (1 -2 tbsp) to create the right consistency of dough.   It should be slightly sticky and crumbly at the same time.  Using your hands, gather dough into a ball, touching as little as possible (dough needs to stay cold). Separate dough into two halves, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 30 minutes, and up to 2 days.



When dough has chilled, take one half and roll out onto a lightly floured surface.   Flip into a pie plate and put into the fridge to chill.   Add the sugar, flour, and lemon juice to the blueberries and peach slices and mix gently until covered in the sugar/flour mixture.  Remove pie crust from fridge and pour fruit mixture into crust.  Remove the second half of pastry and roll out onto a lightly floured surface. Flip on top of pie and pinch together.  Brush lightly with an egg wash, and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees for another 30 minutes or until nicely browned and fruit is bubbling out the sides. 

Blueberry Pie with Lattice Pie Crust

Blueberry Pie, Blueberry Pie, if I can't get some, I think I'm going to die....sorry Dennis,  I am sure that alligator is mighty tasty, but I will take blueberry every time.  Blueberry pie is my all-time favourite.  So how is it that I have never once tried to make it myself?  High time.

Blueberry Pie

filling
5 cups or 2 1/2 pints fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
juice from 1/2 lemon or 1 tbsp lemon juice

pastry
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 vegetable shortening
4-6 tbsp ice cold water

Rinse the blueberries and set aside.  To make the pastry, sift 2 cups all purpose flour into a medium bowl, then add cubes of shortening.  Using a pastry cutter, combine flour and shortening together. Add 4 tbsp ice cold water, and continue to blend.  Add more water as necessary (1 -2 tbsp) to create the right consistency of dough.   It should be slightly sticky and crumbly at the same time.  Using your hands, gather dough into a ball, touching as little as possible (dough needs to stay cold). Separate dough into 2/3 and 1/3 discs, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 30 minutes, and up to 2 days.

When dough has chilled, take the 2/3 disc and roll out onto a lightly floured surface.   Flip into a pie plate and put into the freezer to chill.   Add the sugar, flour, and lemon juice to the blueberries and mix gently until blueberries are covered in the sugar/flour mixture.  Remove pie crust from freezer and pour blueberries into crust.

Roll out the 1/3 disc of pastry on a lightly floured surface.  To make a lattice top, cut the dough into strips using a pizza cutter.  Lay 5 strips of dough over the pie - longest in the middle, and shortest on the far sides. Roll back the 2nd and 4th strips, and place a shorter strip perpendicular.  Roll the 2nd and 4th strips back over the pie, and roll back the 1st, 3rd, and 5th strips.  Place the next horizontal strip on the pie and roll the 1st, 3rd, and 5th strips back, and so on, until the whole pie is covered.  This website is a great resource:  http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_a_lattice_top_for_a_pie_crust/

Brush the pastry with egg wash before baking for a golden brown crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.  Turn oven temperature down to 375 and bake for a further 30  minutes or until pie crust is evenly brown and blueberries are bubbling over the edges.  Don't forget to put a cookie sheet underneath to catch the drips!

Cool pie before serving if you want your pie to be less runny, otherwise, slightly cool and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Peach Blueberry Crisp

All kinds of fruit crisps are delicious, but Peach and Blueberry crisp is my all time favourite combination.  Especially in August - when both are in season in southern Ontario.  This also has to be one of the quickest and easiest summer desserts around...be sure to have vanilla ice cream on hand!

Peach Blueberry Crisp

2/3 cup oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp flour*
1/3 cup cold cubed butter
5 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1 3/4 cup blueberries, fresh

*Gluten free baking mix can be used instead, or omit the flour all together.

To peel the peaches
Boil 1 litre of water and pour into a heat-safe bowl. Cut a small x in the bottom of each peach  and immerse peaches in the boiling water for up to 5 minutes.  When you are ready to peel, dunk each peach in a bowl of cold water so it is cool enough to handle, and stops the peach flesh from cooking. The peel should literally fall away from the flesh with a gentle push. Tip - only use ripe peaches....it is NOT fun to try to peel the skin off unripe peaches. Boiling water does little to help.

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar in a medium bowl.   Add cold cubed butter and mix with your hands, breaking up the butter bits as you go.  The butter bits should end up the size of peas.

Slice peaches into a 8 or 9 inch pan.  Add blueberries evenly over top.  Take about 1/4 cup of the crisp topping and mix into the fruit.  Spread the rest evenly over top, and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until top is crispy and fruit is bubbling out at the sides.

Crisp vs. Crumble....When is it a crisp? When is it a crumble?  I have no idea what the experts say, but in my humble opinion, if you have a hard, buttery crust on top - it is a crisp.  If you have a softer, lumpier, oatmeal and brown sugar streusel like topping - it is a crumble.

What do you think?