Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake

It's blueberry season, y'all.  Time to get your hands on some of those delicious berries!  I picked these berries up in Michigan at a Meijer store, and they were really good.  I'm hoping to get to a farmers' market soon to pick up some local blueberries.  I'm hoping I can still get strawberries, too.  It's been a crazy month and I'm ready to get settled in and do some baking.

I did manage to throw together this coffee cake, and wow was it good.  Incredibly easy, too!  I think what made it so delicious was I used buttermilk and a special Southern flour called, White Lily.  This was my first time baking with it and I can already tell a difference over regular flour.  The cake turned out so light and fluffy.  I'll have to research more on why White Lily makes baked goods lighter.  I think it might have to do with the type of wheat they use.  Have you used White Lily before?

The blueberry cake is topped with a buttery-brown sugar crumb topping.  This could be served as a coffee cake for breakfast, or a dessert.  If you serve it as a dessert, I recommend a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake

2 cups all purpose flour + 1/3 cup, divided use
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, divided use
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray an 8x8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together 6 tablespoons butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy.  Beat in eggs until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until just combined.  Gently fold in blueberries.  Spread batter into the bottom of prepared pan.

To make the topping, beat together remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar and cinnamon until well combined and crumbly.  Sprinkle crumble on top of cake batter.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.  A toothpick inserted into cake should come out with moist crumbs attached.

Makes 9 servings

Day Fifty-One

Hello everyone!  I’m glad you’re here.  Welcome back to tart week.  I’m really enjoying this week… I’m like, all about these tarts.  Seriously.  Both tarts we’ve made have been so good.  Today we made a lemon tart.  The dough we used was a pate sablee, which we blind baked and then brushed with egg wash.  The residual heat from the just-baked tart shells was enough to cook the egg, but we popped them back in the oven for 30 seconds, just to be safe. 

The lemon cream was made from fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, egg and butter.  I think it’s basically a lemon curd, but with more butter.  I’m going to find out tomorrow because we’re making a lemon curd tart.

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We topped the lemon crème with French meringue that we baked today.  The topping on the French meringue is caramelized almonds and pearl sugar. 


The crust was so buttery.  I can’t get over what a difference European butter makes.  I wish I had a lifetime supply of Plugra.  The filling was extremely tart – some people said it was too tart.  I loved it.; I love really tart lemon curds.  The meringue was very sweet, crisp, and a little chewy.  I’m not sure if it was supposed to be chewy.  I’m wondering if that was a result from overmixing.  I’ll ask tomorrow.

Seattle Brownies

Seattle Brownies

14 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups coarsely chopped dark chocolate
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 13x9-inch baking dish with foil; coat foil with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Remove pan from heat and whisk in chocolate and espresso powder until melted and smooth. 

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together melted butter-chocolate mixture, sugar, and eggs for 2 minutes on high speed.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in walnuts and half of chocolate chips until just combined.

Spread batter evenly into pan; sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until well risen, crisp, and batter pulls away from the edges.  Cool completely on a wire rack before lifting foil out of dish and slicing into bars.

Makes 20 brownies

Dulce de Leche Tiramisu

Dulce de Leche Tiramisu

1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup strongly brewed coffee
3 tablespoons Kahlua
1/2 cup dulce de leche, warmed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Lady fingers, split
Cocoa-chile powder, for garnish (optional)
Chocolate curls, for garnish (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form - about 3-4 minutes. Beat in cream cheese and vanilla until well incorporated.

In a small bowl, stir together coffee and kahlua until combined. In an additional small bowl, stir together dulce de leche and cinnamon until combined. Line half of the lady finger halves on the bottom of an 8x8-inch baking dish; evenly drizzle with half of the coffee mixture, followed by half of dulce de leche mixture. Spread half of the whipped cream on top. Repeat process with remaining lady fingers, coffee mixture, dulce de leche, and whipped cream. Sprinkle cocoa-chile powder on top. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.

Makes 9 servings

Midnight Chocolate Whoppers

Midnight Chocolate Whoppers

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg whites
1 cup coarsely chopped Whoppers

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a large sheet pan with cooking spray or butter.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in milk and vanilla extract until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low, and beat in flour mixture, until just combined.

In a separate medium sized mixing bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until foamy and thick, about 3 minutes. Fold egg whites and Whoppers into cookie dough, until combined.
Chill cookie dough in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes, or until firm.

Place heaping teaspoons of dough onto sheet pan, and bake at 350 degrees F, for 13-14 minutes, until puffy and set. Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks, to cool completely.

Makes 16 cookies