Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

Believe it or not, Hubby made these delicious cookies. He was feeling inspired to bake so he searched for the "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe and found it here. It really was good, and we made a ton! It kinda' looked like our favorite Nestle Tollhouse Cookies, but the batch we made was a bit thick. And unlike the real thing, these cookies are not that sweet. A good thing for me, but not for hubby's sweet tooth. 

I enjoyed these cookies tremendously, and I'm sure you will too!


What you need:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon hot water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels


What to do:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  

In a large bowl, beat together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add in one eggs at a time, then vanilla. Continue beating until combined. Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add to batter along with salt. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips.

Tear a small piece (1 1/2 tablespoons) from the batter and work into a circle. Flatten it a bit and place on a pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are nicely browned.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. Original recipe calls for walnuts. We didn't have any so we skipped it. If you want to add some, use 1/2 cup.
2. We like our cookies soft and gooey. If you want them a bit harder, add a minute or two in the cooking time.
3. For a more uniform batch of cookies, use a tablespoon or ice cream scoop to measure the amount of batter.
4. Adding 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar will make the cookies a bit harder as well.  
 

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Superbowl Strawberries

My sister-in-law made these cute Super Bowl strawberries. They really look scrumptious... i can almost taste the delicious chocolate that contrasts with the tart fruit... mmmmm! In case you are wondering why I said "almost taste", it is because my sister-in-law and her family lives hundreds of miles from us. So all I can do is to stare at the picture of these gorgeous strawberries... 
 
Oh, and she provided instructions on how to make them! So enjoy!


 What you need:

strawberries
semi-sweet chocolate morsels
white chocolate


What to do:

Wash strawberries and let dry.

Melt  semi-sweet chocolate on a double boiler. Using the tops of the strawberries as handles, dip them one by one in the melted chocolate. Place on parchment or wax paper and refrigerate for a few minutes to harden.

Meanwhile, melt some white chocolate and place them on a piping bag with a thin round tip. Remove strawberries from the fridge and pipe the football lines on the top. Return to the fridge to harden for a few minutes.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. No double boiler? Your good ole' microwave will do!
2. Use a resealable bag and cut one corner as a piping bag if you don't have one. 
3. Having a hard time working with the chocolate? Add a little bit of canola oil (about a teaspoon or so). It would make the chocolate a bit thinner and easier to work with.
 

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Red, White and Blue Strawberry Cake

Since 4th of July is just around the corner, I thought I'd post this Red, White and Blue Strawberry Cake that I made a few weeks ago. 

Regular readers of my blog would know that I rarely bake things from scratch - only when I am really and truly inspired, OR if we don't have a cake mix in the pantry.  ;-)

I bought this strawberry cake mix because berries were at peak (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) and I was thinking of copying my mother-in-law's raspberry cake - but using strawberries instead. I already baked the cake, and (as luck would have it), I didn't have frosting! A quick peek in my pantry told me that I don't have enough powdered sugar to make frosting for a 2-layer cake. Darn.

Then I remembered the whipped topping in my freezer. Aaahhh, yes. That will do. Of course, I had to thaw it a bit so it would be "spreadable." And you know what? I found out that I actually like whipped topping in cake. It is not too sweet, and it is very light. I do know that these products have a lot of things that aren't good for you, but I also believe in moderation. So eat up, and don't feel guilty! (Unless you eat it everyday for the next year or so!)

Recipe tweaked from here. Bottle of delicious Polaner Spreadable Fruit (Raspberry) from my mother-in-law!

What you need:

1 box Strawberry Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines Strawberry Supreme)
1 1/2 cups jam (I used Polaner Spreadable Fruit in Raspberry)
6 oz fresh blueberries
about 10 pieces strawberries, sliced
1 (8 oz) container whipped topping
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil


What to do:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch pans with baking spray or butter. Sprinkly flour on the surface and tap off excess.

Prepare and bake cakes according to package instructions. Cool completely on a rack.

Place one cake on a serving tray. If the surface is uneven, trim the top a little bit. Spread the raspberry jam on top of the first layer. Place the second cake on top. Cover the cakes by spreading whipped topping, making sure all surface is covered. Top with sliced strawberries and blueberries. 

Refrigerate for at least one hour. Slice and enjoy!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. For a more "befitting" 4th of July cake, use a 9 X 13 pan and decorate the cake in the shape of the American flag.
2. Substitute raspberry with strawberry jelly.
3. You can also throw in some raspberries for a more festive and yummy cake!
4. As always -  warm eggs to room temperature before using in baking. This is so you get the maximum volume when beating the egg whites.
5. Not a fan of whipped topping? Use butter cream frosting!


 

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Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Call it a bad case of me playing "cake doctor." It all started when I saw pineapples being sold for only $2. Never mind that I have never in my entire life peeled a pineapple on my own (why do it when the vendor can do it for you, right?). I just grabbed one and thought of making pineapple upside-down cake. Hey, when prices are this good, you can't afford to miss it!

And since I am not a baker, I had to rely on my friend Duncan Hines. Well, the picture on the box of their Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix looks divine so I just had to make it. Of course, I had to tweak it because I don't have one ingredient on hand. But it still tasted great! 

And in case you're wondering, I used a plastic cap to make the pineapple holes. Remember when I said I peeled it myself? The only tool I used was a knife, so it wasn't cored. I had to look around the house for something to core it, and found the cap.Talk about being resourceful! MacGyver would have been proud of me!

Ta-da! Instant corer!

What you need:


For the topping:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup firmly packed sugar
about 4 to 5 slices of pineapples, cored
Maraschino cherries


For the cake:
1 package Pineapple Supreme cake mix
4 large eggs
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup oil



What to do: 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare the topping. Melt butter over low heat in a 9" X 13" glass pan (preferably in the oven while you're preheating it). Remove from heat. Stir in brown sugar. Spread to cover the bottom of the pan. Arrange pineapple slices on top of the sugar mixture and place cherries in the center of each pineapple. Set aside.

Waiting for the batter...

In a big bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, pineapple juice, and oil. Using your electric mixer, beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter evenly over the fruits in the pan.

Bake at 350°F in the oven for about an hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Using oven mitts to handle pan, invert onto serving plate immediately after removing the cake from the oven.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. Substitute pineapple juice with water.
2. Original recipe called for a 3.4 oz package of vanilla pudding. I didn't have any, hence the pineapple juice.
3. If using pineapple chunks, add them in the batter.

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Dark Chocolate Bird's Nest Cupcakes

This recipe came about because my mother-in-law gave me half a gallon of buttermilk, and some yummy Jordan almonds. I thought it would be a cute Easter cupcake, but it was gone in 2 days. Didn't even make it to Easter eve.

I got the recipe for the cake from Tartelette, but I tweaked it a bit and used some dark cocoa powder. For two reasons - first, I really ran out of regular cocoa powder. And second, I like dark chocolate anyway. So it really was a win-win. ;-)

I wasn't in the mood to whip some frosting from scratch, so I just used a store-bought one. The frosting wasn't really the "star" for me - it was the cake! It was so moist and dark and yummy! I had to stop myself from finishing the batter before I could pour them in the cupcake liners! Yeah. They were THAT good.

Anyway... I originally wanted to make a "nest" using toasted coconuts, but a.) I don't like coconut in desserts and b.) I don't want to make a special trip to the store, so I just used buttercream frosting. I attempted to make "wisps" of some sort, but unfortunately, I used the wrong cake decorating tip so I ended up with a different kind of nest. Oh well. I thought it still looked cute.


What you need: (Yield: 24 cupcakes)

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup hot brewed coffee
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tub (16 oz) buttercream frosting
Jordan almonds
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
few drops of green food color


What to do: 

Using your food processor, coarsely grind chocolate morsels. Place them in a bowl and pour in the hot brewed coffee. Stir until the chocolate morsels melt. Set aside to cool.

Put cake flour in a large bowl. Add by sifting the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

Sift sift sift!

With your mixer in medium speed, beat together the eggs and sugar for about five minutes, or until thick. Add the oil in a continuous stream, then the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and the coffee mixture. Continue beating until well incorporated. Divide the flour mixture in three and add it, a third at a time, to the liquid ingredients while beating. Do so until you have used up all the flour.

Meanwhile, prepare your pans by greasing it with baking spray, or placing cupcake liners into 2 pans. Preheat oven to 300°F.

 Divide batter among cupcake liners. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool on rack.

To prepare your frosting, put about 5 drops of green food color to the tub of buttercream. Mix well. Scoop frosting in piping bags and decorate cupcakes. Top with Jordan almonds.

Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Not a fan of dark chocolate? Use 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder instead.
2. Substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour. Just make sure you sift it.
3. If you don't have a food processor, you can just chop the ingredients by hand.
4. Use a regular zip loc bag as a piping bag. Just fill the bag with frosting, seal, then cut a small corner off the bottom. Voila!

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Product Review: Royce Nama Chocolates

It even comes with a mini spatula!

I have wanted to try Royce Nama Chocolates after reading it from my friend Guia's blog. Sadly, it is not available here in the States. I tried eBay, Google shopping, even the official Royce website - they just don't sell/ship here.

Well, I recently found out why. Nama chocolates contain 20% cream, and as such, shipping to the US from Sapporo, Japan wouldn't be feasible. I mean, it would, but the chocolate won't be as good as people rave about. And personally, I don't think cream would survive that long a trip without refrigeration.

I had the chance to travel to Asia recently and sample these sweets. And wow, the Nama totally blew me away. I tried their other chocolates like the Pure Chocolate and Bar Chocolate, and they are also good - comparable to Dove (and maybe even Godiva), but the Nama (which is Japanese for "fresh") is something else. Read on.

Sorry - bad lighting.

What I liked: 

The chocolate just melts in your mouth. Literally. No kidding.
"Velvety" and "smooth" is an understatement when describing Nama.
The chocolates are pre-cut (sort of!) in bite-size pieces. Makes for easy mouth-popping.
They are rolled in dark cocoa powder. 
Fairly inexpensive. $12-15 is a good bargain for chocolate this decadent.
The taste. Just absolutely amazing.
Hubby said what he likes about it is that "Nama" rhymes with "Mama" which he finds very comforting. (Don't ask.) 


What I didn't like: 

Much as I like the dark cocoa powder, it sticks to your fingers when you pick a piece of Nama. Let's just hope your hands are clean when you do that, because trust me, you would want to lick those cocoa powders off your fingers!


The Verdict: 

All I really have are raves for this product. They are so delicious. I would recommend it to everybody - and if you don't love it, then you probably should live under a rock (no disrespect, Patrick). The Royce crew is even kind enough to put your Nama purchase in a special aluminum bag with a piece of dry ice to make sure it gets to you fresh. Would I buy it again? Yes. In fact, in a span of 3 weeks, I bought several boxes of Nama chocolates in 2 countries. I loved it that much (and wanted my son and in-laws to have a taste of it too!).

The Bitter variety is our favorite!

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Semi-Homemade Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

The glaze runneth over

Am I sending out too much "Sandra Lee vibe" with all the semi-homade dishes I make? I promise, I am not doing it intentionally. I am just trying to save money and time by using available resources. That being said, I used a boxed yellow cake for this recipe, and the Meyer lemons from my neighbor's yard (tee-hee!). Hey, I asked permission. ;-)


What you need: 

1 Meyer lemon
1 box (15.25 oz) Super Moist Cake (Butter Recipe Yellow)
1 cup +2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/3 cup Canola oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 cups sifted powdered sugar


What to do: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray your Bundt pan with nonstick spray.

Zest your lemon and squeeze them, reserving the juice for later use.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1 cup buttermilk, oil, eggs, lemon zest, and about 4 tablespoons of the reserved lemon juice. Beat with an electric mixer on low for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat again on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds and mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan.

Bake in preheated  oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of the cake comes clean. Cool the cake in the pan or on wire rack. Turn cooled cake over on a serving plate; gently lift pan to remove cake.

Make the glaze. Stir together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons lemon juice until a smooth, glaze consistency. Drizzle over top and sides of the cake. Enjoy!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. No buttermilk? Make some! Put a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a (1 cup) measuring cup, then top with regular milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Voila! Buttermilk!
2. If you don't like your glaze too tart, reduce the amount of lemon juice.
3. Don't make the same mistake I did - wait for the cake to cool first before putting the glaze!

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Cake Pops

 

Pardon the "sweaty" look. I just took it out of the fridge!

I made some cake pops since I was thinking of gifting them to friends for Christmas. I love handmade gifts, and I thought these would be such a great idea. However, I have encountered some difficulties in making this first batch of cake pops. 

First, the cake I bought was the moist kind. Which is really, really good when you eat it immediately. With making cake pops, I had to freeze it for a few hours so it would hold its shape and stay on the stick. 

Second, even after freezing, it was still a challenge to coat it with chocolate while remaining on the stick. 

The taste was excellent, but I have to make some major tweaks with my technique. Maybe use regular cake mix instead of the moist kind? I will try it and will let you know the outcome. In the meantime, enjoy the recipe of my moist cake pops! :-)


What you need:

1 box cake mix (I used Betty Crocker's Super Moist White Cake Mix)
oil, water and eggs called for in the cake recipe

8 oz cream cheese frosting (about half a tub)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon oil
candy sprinkles, nonpareils, and other decors
sticks


What to do:

Bake cake according to package instructions. Set aside to cool.

When the cake has completely cooled, slice the cakes in small squares and crumble them completely. Place the crumbled cake pieces in a large bowl. Add cream cheese frosting and blend well (using your hands, of course). 

Prepare a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Gather about a tablespoonful of cake and shape it in a ball. Place on the sheet pan. Repeat the process until you have used up all your cake. Refrigerate (or freeze!) for at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate. Place the morsels on the top part of a double boiler and melt. Or, you can put it in a mini Crockpot just like I did! Add the tablespoon of oil and mix well.

Have a stick ready by dipping the top end in chocolate. This is so the cake would stay put when the chocolate at the end of the stick hardens. Poke the cake ball with the stick, making sure the stick doesn't go through! Dip the cake ball in the chocolate and slowly rotate to remove the excess chocolate.

Stick the cake pop in a styrofoam square to keep it upright. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the top with nonpareils or candy sprinkles. Repeat until you have used up all your cake balls.

If you are planning to give it as a gift, wrap in a clear plastic with a pretty bow. :-)

Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. You can make cake pops from scratch (not from a box). It is just easier and I didn't wanna mess up with that (hahaha).
2. Cake pop makers can be purchased from stores - but the pop itself is pure cake - no cream cheese frosting to hold it.
3. Not a fan of cream cheese frosting? Try buttercream.
4. If you don't have a double boiler or mini crockpot, just zap the chocolate morsels in a microwave for a few seconds. If it hardens, just re-zap it!
5. Consume immediately! I noticed that after a week in my fridge, the cake pop went through the stick! Too dense, I suppose.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon-Spiked Cream

So I just got my December 2011 issue of Food Network Magazine, and I saw hubby flipping the pages. I told him to choose a dish from the magazine that he wants me to make, and this was the result:

He probably marked about 20 dishes! I am gonna be a busy lady!

This cheesecake recipe is from the October 2011 edition, and contributed by Emeril Lagasse. Lately, I have been enjoying trying out recipes from magazines. I am starting to see my blog as a "test kitchen" of sorts... I post those that turned out good, while the unsuccessful ones remained buried with only photos to remember them by. :-|

This recipe was good, but not overly sweet. I was quite disappointed with the crust, but the addition of the chocolate sauce more than made up for it. The texture was also more cake-y than silky, and it was because it called for flour. Not sure what would have happened if I skipped the flour, and I am not one to experiment much in baking. As I have previously said, baking is an exact science and doing away from the tiniest ingredients would make or break the product. Also, I wouldn't really veer away from Emeril's recipe because most of his recipes that I tried were really awesome.


What you need: 

For the cheesecake:
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 crushed wafers)
1 cup ground pecans
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 pounds (4 blocks) cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
6 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups canned pure pumpkin

For the topping:
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
dash of bourbon
chocolate syrup (optional)  


What to do:  

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the wafer crumbs, ground pecans and melted butter in a bowl. Press into the bottom of a 12 inch springform pan.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, mix the cream cheese until smooth (this might take a minute or two). Add the brown sugar and process until blended. Add the eggs one at a time, processing until fully incorporated, then blend in the heavy cream. Add the flour, salt, cinnamon and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add the pumpkin and continue blending until smooth. 

Pour the filling over the crust in the pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the cheesecake is just set. Remove from the oven. Use a knife to loosen the cake from the side of the pan; this will prevent it from splitting down the center. Let cool completely before slicing.

Meanwhile, make the topping: Combine the whipped cream and bourbon in a bowl and mix until blended. 

Remove the side of the springform pan and slice the cheesecake. Top each piece with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and some bourbon whipped cream.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. To crush the wafers and pecans, place them in a food processor and grind until fine. Careful though - you don't want powdered wafer! :-)
2. If you don't have a springform pan, you can use a 9" X 12" pan. Just make sure you line it with parchment paper.
3. Don't feel like making the spiked whipped cream? Use regular whipped cream instead.
4. Oven heat varies. Make sure you keep an eye on your cheesecake. If it starts cracking, it means you overcooked it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for HE is good. His love endures forever." -Psalm 107:1 

 

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Banoffee Pavlova

I made flan for hubby a couple of days ago and saved the egg whites for a recipe. I really didn't have anything in mind, I was just in the mood to bake. I was originally thinking of making "Forgotten Cookies" based on my mother-in-law's recommendation, but I ended up making Pavlova after seeing this recipe. Actually, I would have made both, but I ran out of sugar! ;-)

This dish was named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova. There is a long standing debate on whether this delicious confection was invented in New Zealand or Australia - but what we do know is that the ballet dancer toured both countries in 1926 - the year it was created for her. Personally, I would rather munch on this treat rather than trace its history. :-)


What you need: 

1 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 egg whites (approximately 1/2 cup)
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 bananas, coined
caramel topping
1/4 cup chopped chocolate
2 cups whipped cream


What to do: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lined baking sheet: check!

In a bowl, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

Using your mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with salt, vanilla and vinegar in medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar mixture (about a tablespoon at a time) and add the lemon juice. Whip in high speed until it forms stiff peaks. You would be able to tell because it would turn shiny - like cake icing.

Whisk attachment: check!

Soft and Stiff Peaks (Click for larger photo)

My mixer is cool because: 1. It has light; 2. The bowl rotates with the whisk; and 3. It used to belong to my mother-in-law's father 

Pour (or rather, scrape) the mixture and place it on the lined baking sheet. Flatten the top and smooth the sides by using a spatula.

After flattening, it would look more or less like this.

Place in the preheated oven, and as soon as you put it in, reduce the temperature to 300°F. Bake for about an hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until it turns a pale golden brown. Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar with the Pavlova inside for a couple of hours, or until completely cooled.

Before serving, top with whipped cream, banana slices, and chopped chocolate. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Enjoy!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. If you don't have caster sugar, just put an equivalent amount of regular sugar in the food processor and grind until super fine. (I ground mine so fine it started smoking in the house! Haha)
2. No lemon juice? Use a pinch of Cream of Tartar.
3. You can use butterscotch morsels instead of chocolate chips... mmmmm.... 
4. Try fresh berries instead of bananas.
5. To keep your sliced bananas from turning brown, put them in cold water with lemon juice.
 

I ran out of bananas so I just put crushed peanuts and chopped chocolates. Drizzled with chocolate syrup.

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Chocolate-Covered Cherries

You know what they say - "Life is just a bowl of cherries."

Aside from "chocolate-covered cherries" being a nice alliteration, it also added some much-needed sweetness to my tangy cherries. I know... they're supposed to be in season, but for some reasons, these were tart. Anyway, the chocolate was a great touch, and it made me feel "less guilty" about eating chocolate. (There's fruit buried underneath this thick mass of sweetness, hello?!?)


What you need:

a handful of cherries (about 20-25 pieces)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon Canola oil


What to do:

Place your double boiler over high heat and bring water to a boil. Add the chocolate morsels on the top layer and reduce heat to low. When chocolate starts melting, add oil and mix well. 

Hold a cherry by the stem and dip it in the chocolate, making sure the surface is covered.  Place on a tray lined with wax paper. Repeat the process until you have used up all your cherries. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Pre-refrigeration

Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. When dealing with melted chocolate, you always have to work quick. Careful - but quick.
2. You can use parchment paper instead of wax paper, but why waste parchment? Wax paper is safe for non-baking stuff. Don't make the mistake of putting it in your oven! (Wax paper is also great for arts and crafts!)
3. Oil is added because pure chocolate is thick and hard to work with. If you add more chocolate morsels, make sure to add a bit more oil.
4. Use canola or vegetable oil - NOT olive oil. 
5. Really wanna jazz it up? Melt white chocolate and drizzle it on top the milk chocolate.

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Blueberry Crumb Bars

 

I brought this treat to school a few weeks ago, and I kid you not, they were gone in a flash!  The kids have this smile on their faces, sort of like the pudding face we see in ads. Thanks to my friend who went blueberry-picking and gave me all those delicious fresh blueberries! 

These blueberry bars were great, and I especially loved the "fresh from the oven" texture of the crumbs. I got the recipe here.


What you need:

1 cup + 1/2 cup sugar (divided)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 (8 oz) sticks of cold unsalted butter
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups of blueberries
4 teaspoons corn starch


What to do: 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 X 13 pan with butter or cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup of sugar, 3 cups all-purpose flour and baking powder. Add in salt and lemon zest. Using a fork, blend in the butter and egg. Dough should be crumbly. Pat half of the dough into prepared pan.

In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently fold in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the berry layer.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting in squares.

Gimme those crumbs!

Tips, Tricks or Tweaks: 

1. You can use any kind of berry for this recipe!
2. Best served warm with ice cream.
3. Frozen blueberry can also be used - just thaw them before mixing them in.
4. Adding a teaspoon of vanilla to the crumb mixture will bring out more flavor.

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