Tag Archives: Blueberry

Blueberry Crisp

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It’s been awfully quiet here on The Dreaming Foodie, but I assure you, my kitchen hasn’t been quiet.

I’ve been in the kitchen more than ever lately, but unfortunately, not producing much to share with all of you. Not much of my own, at least. There have been more times lately than I care to admit when my own ideas have turned into recipe fails.

But it’s okay. I’m remaining okay with it and with the pace at which I share things with you. That’s the only way to be, really. Just being okay with what is.

Now, on to this crisp.

This crisp isn’t my recipe, but I can’t help but share it with you. If my goal on this blog is to share with you what is good in the world, then this is it. I seriously can’t get over this. I’ve made this crisp countless times in the last month since discovering it. It’s the best.

I love crisps, but I usually think of them as strictly dessert. I wouldn’t really think of having a crisp for a snack, or something that I make to keep around the house weekly, but this recipe is a game-changer. With this recipe, crisp is no longer strictly dessert. I do like to have something sweet around, because I know the craving will hit, but I like to keep the sweet things healthy. Like these pumpkin muffins, or these banana muffins or this granola. Now this crisp is added into that rotation. Or lately, it has sort of taken over the muffins and granola.

This crisp is made with olive oil, not butter. Almond meal, not flour. Pure maple syrup, not refined sugar. And oats and nuts. Health things. Things I am completely okay with eating on a daily basis. And real blueberries with no sugar added. None at all. I have been using frozen blueberries, but let me tell you, I cannot wait to taste this with fresh.

This is good any time of the day. I have been eating it as an afternoon snack, with full fat vanilla yogurt from a local creamery. I know I would love to have it as a dessert, too. This recipe is for people looking for something a bit healthier, but I’m convinced that it’s also for butter-laden crisp lovers. I tell you, this is the best crisp I’ve ever had, butter or no butter. This is it. The last crisp recipe I’ll ever need.

Make it. Try it. I promise, you won’t regret it.

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This wonderful recipe is from Shauna Niequist’s book Bread and Wine. Click here to view the blueberry crisp recipe.

Sweet Berry Hand Pies

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I am so excited to share these with you!

ingredients

Hand pies. My mom thinks they are the new cupcakes. I think they are just awesome.

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I’ve been seeing them everywhere. Sweet, savory, you name it, there is a hand pie. I just knew that it would not be long until I tried making my own!

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These hand pies are not hard to make! And the ingredient combination ideas are endless.

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Today I’m showing you two different ideas!

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One is a blueberry hand pie with fig + cocoa spread. The other, raspberries and cream.

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First, let’s talk about the blueberry! I am a huge fan of blueberry anything. I thought that since blueberries are looking good this time of the year, I would choose them. And, the fig + cocoa spread. Don’t be afraid. I know that the word fig turns a lot of people off from eating something. I found this fig spread at the store that also has cocoa in it. It sort of reminds me of Nutella but with the added fig seed crunch. The spread + the sweet blueberries is a great flavor combo that I think even those afraid of fig will enjoy!

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Now, the raspberries and cream hand pie. Oh my goodness. These are a real treat. I was making the blueberry + fig ones and the raspberries and cream idea just came to me. When the weather is nice, we have get-togethers at my parents house and make a fire and spend the evening outside. Once or twice, we have made mountain pies. And we try to get a little creative with them. Once, we made a raspberries and cream one. And it was delicious. That mountain pie completely inspired this hand pie!

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I cannot stop eating these. I need a hand pie intervention! Or someone to share with.. who wants hand pies?

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Blueberries and Fig Hand Pies

Ingredients:
This is enough for two 9-inch pie crusts, or 14 hand pies:
2 9-inch pie crusts, store-bought or homemade
1 pint + 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons sugar + extra for sprinkling on top of hand pies
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup store-bought fig spread
Egg wash — you can either use egg white mixed with water or egg yolk mixed with milk, I tried and liked both

Mix together 1 pint of blueberries, 3 tablespoons of sugar and flour in a pot over medium-high heat on the stove. The mixture will start to smoke a bit and the blueberries will begin to break down. Once that happens, turn the heat down to medium and stir constantly until the blueberries have almost completely broken down and the mixture is thick and sauce-like. Remove from the heat and stir in the extra 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries. Let the mixture cool completely before assembling the hand pies.

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

Prepare your work surface. Lightly flour a flat counter top and get your rolling pin ready. Once the blueberry mixture is cooled, roll out the two 9-inch pie crusts. I used a 4-1/2 inch round container to cut my circles from the crust and it made five rounds and I then rolled the excess dough back out to get two more rounds. I got seven rounds each time from one 9-inch pie crust. You can use a cookie cutter, cup or container to cut the rounds and the size is up to you. I was very happy with 4-1/2 inches. I wouldn’t want to go to much smaller but bigger would be fine.

Once you have the rounds cut out, spoon the fig spread onto each round. I used about a teaspoon on each. Then spoon the cooled blueberry mixture on top of the fig spread. I used a heaping teaspoon of the blueberry mixture. You don’t want the pies to be too full or the filling with spill out when you try to fold them closed.

Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash along one side of each round. Fold the round in half, making a half circle, or moon shape. Using your fingers, pinch and fold the edges of the half circle. Then use a fork to push down the edges to really seal the hand pie closed. Make two small slits in the top of each hand pie with a knife and then brush the top with egg wash. Sprinkle the tops with additional sugar. I used a combination of white decoration sugar, turbinado sugar and white granulated sugar for sprinkling.

Place the hand pies on the parchment lined baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes, or until the hand pies are just slightly browned on top. Let cool on the baking sheet before serving .

Now, on to the raspberries and cream. The method will be similar, with different ingredients.

Raspberries and Cream Hand Pies

Ingredients:
This is enough for two 9-inch pie crusts, or 14 hand pies:
2 9-inch pie crusts
6 oz. fresh raspberries
8 oz. cream cheese, softened.
1/2 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Egg wash — you can either use egg white mixed with water or egg yolk mixed with milk, I tried and liked both

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

In a bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract.

Prepare your work surface. Lightly flour a flat counter top and get your rolling pin ready. Roll out the two 9-inch pie crusts. I used a 4-1/2 inch round container to cut my circles from the crust and it made five rounds and I then rolled the excess dough back out to get two more rounds. I got seven rounds each time from one 9-inch pie crust. You can use a cookie cutter, cup or container to cut the rounds and the size is up to you. I was very happy with 4-1/2 inches. I wouldn’t want to go to much smaller but bigger would be fine.

Once you have the rounds cut out, spoon the cream cheese mixture onto each round. I used about a half tablespoon on each. Then place three raspberries onto the cream cheese mixture. You don’t want the pies to be too full or the filling with spill out when you try to fold them closed.

Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash along one side of each round. Fold the round in half, making a half circle, or moon shape. Using your fingers, pinch and fold the edges of the half circle. Then use a fork to push down the edges to really seal the hand pie closed. Make two small slits in the top of each hand pie with a knife and then brush the top with egg wash. Sprinkle the tops with additional sugar. I used a combination of white decoration sugar, turbinado sugar and white granulated sugar for sprinkling.

Place the hand pies on the parchment lined baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes, or until the hand pies are just slightly browned on top. Let cool on the baking sheet before serving .

*Notes:
-Okay, for the recipe, I used store-bought refrigerated pie crusts. This would absolutely be good if you make your own! I provided you amounts to make a full recipe of each — 14 blueberry and fig and 14 raspberries and cream. A full recipe uses two 9-inch round pie crusts. If you want to make both but use only two pie crusts, cut each ingredient list above in half and make a half recipe of each. You would used one 9-inch pie crust for each and get 7 blueberry and fig and 7 raspberries and cream hand pies.

Enjoy!