Blueberry Season Is Here

Yes, it’s here, the long awaited Blueberry season.  At least it is long awaited for me.  I love Blueberries and I love baking with Blueberries.  I love eating Blueberries and make sure I eat them every day for their superlative nutritional value.  In South Florida, at this time of the season, Blueberries are plentiful and super inexpensive.  When Blueberries are in season as they are now, I buy as many containers as possible and freeze them.  This is one fruit that freezes perfectly well.  In fact, when they are frozen and then thawed you most likely will not be able to tell the difference.

Here are several of my favorite Blueberry recipes.

Ricotta Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

Using ricotta along with cream cheese lightens up this delicious cheesy dessert and yet maintains the richness cheese cake is so loved for.  I twisted the crust a bit by using Amaretti di Saronno cookie crumbs instead of the traditional graham cracker crumbs used for most cheese cakes.  I thought it would be so much more Italian if I used the Amaretti cookies.  

For the Crust 

1½      Cups Amaretti di Saronno Cookie Crumbs

1/3      Cup Granulated Sugar

1/4      Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted

For the Filling

32       Ounces Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, Drained

16       Ounces Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1         Cup Granulated Sugar

3         Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour

2         Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

2          Large Eggs, Room Temperature

2          Large Egg Yolks, Room Temperature

Preheat oven to 375°.  Place the rack in the middle of the oven.

For the Crust

Grind the Amaretti cookies in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Grind until you achieve fine crumbs.

In a medium bowl combine the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter.  Spray a 9” springform pan with non-stick baking spray such as Pam and press the crumb mixture into the bottom and half way up the sides of the pan.  Set aside.

For the Cheese Cake

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. combine the ricotta and cream cheese with the sugar and blend together on medium speed.  Add the flour and vanilla extract and mix well.

With the mixer on low, add the whole eggs and the egg yolks one at a time to the cream cheese mixture, being sure each egg is well incorporated before adding the next.  Beat until combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.  Place on a sheet pan and bake the cheese cake for 50 – 60 minutes, until the cheesecake tests done by inserting a thin bladed knife into the center and the blade comes out clean.  Do no over bake.

Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a wire cooling rack for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, using a small metal spatula loosen the crusts from the side of the pan.  Cool 30 minutes longer and remove the springform pan.  Cool completely before refrigerating.  Cool in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.  Slice into wedges and served with Blueberry Sauce

Blueberry Sauce for Cheesecake

1          Cup Granulated Sugar

1/3      Cup Water

2          Pints Blueberries, Picked Over and Divided

Add sugar and water to a non reactive sauce pan.  Melt sugar completely and bring to a boil.  Add 1 pint of Blueberries and cook over medium high heat for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens and berries begin to pop, stirring often.  Remove from heat and add the rest of the Blueberries.  Cool completely and refrigerate.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

The first time I had Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes was in the early 1990’s when we lived in Crested Butte for a ski season.  It took me a few years to get the recipe just right and believe me when I tell you it is JUST RIGHT!!!  I never had pancakes that good until I developed my own recipe.  These are even better than Crested Butte’s.

Makes 8 to 10 – 3 Inch Pan Cakes

2          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted, Clarified and Cooled to Room Temperature

¾         Cup Buttermilk

¾         Crème Fraiche

1          Large Egg

¾         Cup Stone Ground White Cornmeal

¾         Cup All Purpose Flour

1          Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

½         Teaspoon Baking Powder

¼         Teaspoon Baking Soda

1          Tablespoon Granulated Sugar

1          Cup Fresh Blueberries, Divided

4          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted and Clarified

In a medium bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar with a wire whisk

In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons unsalted cooled butter, buttermilk, crème fraiche, and egg.  Blend together well.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and gently fold mixture together with a rubber spatula.  Fold just until blended together and the batter becomes thick.  Gently fold in ¾ cup of the blueberries.

Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Generously add some of the melted butter to the skillet or griddle.  When the butter begins to sizzle a little, add enough batter to make a 3 inch pancake (about 2½ tablespoons or use a 2” ice cream scoop).  Be careful not to overcrowd the pan as crowding will make it hard to turn the pancakes.  Cook the pancakes on each side until golden, about 2½ minutes per side.  Timing depends on how high the heat is under your skillet or griddle.

Transfer the pancakes to a heat proof dish and place in a warm oven.  Repeat with the next batch of pancakes being sure to add more butter to the skillet or griddle.

Serve two pancakes per person.  Add several uncooked blueberries to the dish for garnish.  Have ready softened butter and warm pure maple syrup (Please don’t us that corn syrup  laden stuff they call maple syrup.  For these pancakes you want only the real deal.)

Hints and Tips:  If you don’t have crème fraiche you can use all buttermilk.  Don’t use sour cream as it is too thick.  Also, you can use stone ground yellow or blue cornmeal.  The key here is stone ground.

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

Makes 16 Scones

3          Cups All Purpose Flour

1/3      Cup Sugar

2 ½     Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2      Teaspoon Baking Soda

3/4      Teaspoon Salt

6          Ounces Cold Unsalted Butter Cut into Small Pieces

1          Cup Fresh Blueberries, Picked Over

1          Generous Cup Buttermilk

1          Tablespoon Grated Orange or Lemon Zest

Melted Butter and Granulated Sugar for Brushing and Dusting Tops of Scones

Preheat oven to 425°.  Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cut butter into flour mixture using finger tips.  Gently toss in the blueberries and pour in buttermilk.  Carefully mix with a fork only until the ingredients are just moistened being careful to not let the blueberries pop.  The dough should be soft and rough.  If dough looks too dry add another tablespoon of buttermilk.  Gather the dough into a ball, pressing it gently so that it holds together, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it very gently and  briefly – a half dozen turns should do it.  Cut the dough in half.

Gently pat one piece of dough into a ½ inch thick circle about 7 inches across.  Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.  Cut into 8 wedges and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or  silpat. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough and place on the same baking sheet.

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes turning the pan around half way through the cooking time.  Bake until golden on the bottom and top.  Let cool briefly on the pan and then remove to cooling rack.  Good warm or at room temperature.

Hints and Tips:  These scones can be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag and stored in freezer for a month.  Bring to room temperature and then warm at 350 for 5 minutes.

Blueberry Quick Bread

Makes 1 Loaf

1          Cup Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream

2          Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1          Tablespoon Lemon Zest

2          Cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2      Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2      Teaspoons Baking Soda

1          Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

1          Cup Granulated Sugar

8          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

2          Large Eggs

2          Cups Fresh Blueberries

Preheat oven to 350° with the rack in the middle of the oven.

Prepare a 9x5x3” loaf pan by spraying evenly with non-stick baking spray.

In small bowl combine the sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, into the butter and sugar mixture.   Be sure each egg is incorporated into the mixture before adding the next.

Turn the mixer to low, add the flour mixture into the butter mixer in thirds, alternating with the sour cream mixture.  Begin and end with the flour mixture.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl when necessary.  Gently fold in fresh blueberries.

Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake the bread for one hour or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the bread.  Cool the bread on a wire cooling rack for 20 minutes.  Use a thin knife to loosen bread edges from pan.  Invert onto wire rack, re-invert and cool completely.

To store, wrap with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and refrigerate for 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.

Blueberry Tart with Crumb Topping

Nothing says summer better than Blueberries and I find no better way to have them than in a Blueberry tart.  Cooked Blueberries brings out their true flavor and this tart is without a doubt loaded with flavor.  The crumb topping adds just the right amount of sweet crunch and pairing it with a scope of Crème Fraiche Semi-Freddo adds just the right amount of creaminess to make this dessert a perfect and delicious treat.

½         Recipe Pate Sucre Rolled Out and Fitted into 11” Tart Pan with Removable Bottom, Blind Baked (Partially) and Cooled 

3         Pints Fresh Blueberries, Rinsed and Picked Over

1          Cup Granulated Sugar

1/3      Cup Corn Starch

Pinch Fine Sea Salt

1          Tablespoon Unsalted Butter Cut into Bits

Crumb Topping

Preheat oven to 375° with rack in the middle of the oven.

In a large bowl gently combine the Blueberries with sugar , corn starch and salt.  Put the mixture in the partially blind baked tart shell and evenly distribute the crumb topping over the tart.

Place the tart on a pizza pan with holes that has been lined with parchment.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until the juices are bubbling, the berries are bursting and the crumb topping is golden brown.

Remove from oven to wire cooling rack.  Cool completely before serving.

Enjoy the rest of your summer with luscious Blueberries.  If you have any questions or comments leave a comment on the blog or email me at

camille@camillecooksforyou.com