Blueberry Pudding Cake
Blueberry pudding cake is one of those desserts where you swear the first time you make it that the recipe is wrong. You may look at the pan after you pour in all that boiling water and say to yourself, “There’s no way this is going to work.” I thought exactly the same thing, but it does work. During the long stay in the oven, the boiling water combines with the thick batter, creating a kind of crunchy cake topping that floats on top of the juicy blueberry filling. It’s rustic and homey, almost like a cobbler, and tastes best served warm with some vanilla bean ice cream or gelato. Read more
Mango Blueberry Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette
June 15, 2010 by Andrea
Filed under Dessert, Grow Your Own, Salads
In 2007 we bought two blueberry bushes, the low bush variety that produces small berries like our favorite wild blueberries from Maine. We almost lost them due to flooding both the first and second year, but somehow they managed to survive, though they haven’t produced berries yet. It takes a few years for blueberry bushes to begin producing, and when they do it’s often small amounts at first, but growing as the bush matures. Read more
Whole Wheat Blueberry Buckle
Early blueberries have started coming into the markets and grocery stores and we brought a big bunch home last week, eager for a chance to enjoy some of the delicious fruits. We use them in pies, muffins, ice cream, cakes, tarts, on top of a bowl of oatmeal, or just to eat out of hand. The boys usually have their fingers in the bowl of blueberries when we make something with them.
Orange Blueberry Muffins
July 24, 2008 by Andrea
Filed under Breads, Breakfast, Summer Favorites
When I acquired a copy of Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours a couple months ago, my reasoning was I needed it for whatever challenges The Daring Bakers might throw out, but really it’s because I wanted to try every recipe in the book. I’d seen wonderful samples all over the cooking blogs for so long I couldn’t hold out any longer.
Even though The Daring Bakers made Dorie’s Perfect Party Cake in March, I felt I should start at the beginning and work my way through the book, so we started with her Orange Blueberry Muffins for breakfast one morning, and they were gone in a flash. As I studied the recipe the night before, I realized I had some homemade candied orange peel stored in a jar of sugar in the pantry, and I couldn’t resist adding it. I chopped about 1/4 cup of the peel (sorry, I forgot to weigh it) and then sprinkled some of the orange sugar on top of the muffins. As it turns out, it’s a good thing I added the chopped orange peel because Top Gun was stealing blueberries behind my back, so adding the orange peel helped make up for the loss of the blueberries.
We enjoyed the extra orange flavor, and now I have to make more candied orange peel so we can have these muffins again. The orange and blueberry combination was delicious. And as for the color, they really were that orange!
ORANGE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan.
Equipment
regular sized muffin pan, buttered or lightly coated with cooking spray
baking sheet
large glass measuring cup or bowl
large mixing bowl
#20 (large) cookie scoop (3 tablespoons)
Ingredients
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
about 3/4 cup (178 ml) buttermilk (I use 1 tablespoon lemon juice + enough skim milk to make 3/4 cup)
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons honey
1 stick (8 tablespoons/113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup (58 g) granulated sugar
2 cups (240 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (141 g) blueberries, fresh preferred, frozen ok (not thawed)
1/4 cup chopped candied orange peel
orange sugar (from storing the orange peel)
Preparation
1. Place the baking rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400° F. Place the muffin pan on the baking sheet.
2. Pour the orange juice into the large glass measuring cup and add enough of the buttermilk to make 1 full cup (237 ml). Whisk in the eggs, honey, and melted butter.
3. In the large mixing bowl, rub the orange zest into the sugar until you can smell the orange. It should smell strong.
4. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to quickly and gently stir. The batter will look lumpy and bubbly, and that’s ok.
5. Gently stir in the blueberries and the chopped orange peel.
6. Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and sprinkle the orange sugar on top.
7. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. The tops should be golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Carefully remove and allow to cool a few minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Blueberry Muffins
This weekend we’re leaving for our annual vacation to the family camp in the Adirondacks. We’ll enjoy a week of fishing, hiking, and playing at the lake, as well as some good family cooking by Michael’s mom. She fixes these for us every year when we visit and it’s rare to have any left after breakfast, especially with my boys there!
[Updated: October 4, 2008] Read more
Maine Blueberry Pie
June 19, 2006 by Andrea
Filed under Dessert, Recently Updated
Maine is our spot. We vacationed there while dating, got married in the garden of the Bar Harbor Tides bed and breakfast overlooking Frenchman Bay in Bar Harbor, took our wedding photos throughout Acadia National Park, and went back to visit when I was pregnant with our first child. Sadly, the last visit was four years ago and various circumstances have prevented us from going back. But every year in the summer and fall we think about going back and hiking through Acadia and enjoying Maine wild blueberries, and if for some reason we won’t be able to go we say, “I miss Maine.” Read more
