Packed with powerful antioxidants, blueberries make a delicious dessert option - especially in the summer months when they are in season and, therefore, not as expensive. Below, check out six different ways to prepare this colorful fruit.
Blueberry Ice Cream Parfaits
Serves 8
Active: 15 min
Total: 5 hr (includes freezing)
4 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 qt vanilla ice cream
1 (10-oz) pkg frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
2 cups sweetened whipped cream or frozen whipped topping, defrosted
1 cup fresh raspberries
1. Place 3 cups blueberries, the sugar and lemon juice in medium saucepan; mash berries well with a potato masher. place over medium heat and bring to a simmer; cook 5 minutes. Pour mixture into a blender and purée. Pour into a 2-cup measure, cover and chill 2 hours. Place a 1 1/2 -qt freezer container in freezer to chill.
2. Let vanilla ice cream stand at room temperature until softened. Fold chilled blueberry purée into ice cream until well blended. scrape ice cream into chilled container in freezer; freeze several hours or until firm enough to scoop.
3. Purée thawed raspberries and syrup in blender until smooth; scrape mixture through a fine sieve to remove seeds.
4. To make parfaits: For each parfait, spoon 1 Tbsp raspberry purée into a dessert glass and top with a small scoop blueberry ice cream. Top with 1 Tbsp whipped cream, and a few blueberries and raspberries. Repeat the layers. Top parfaits with a dollop of whipped cream.
Per parfait: 330 cal, 4 g pro, 57 g car, 4 g fiber, 11 g fat (6 g sat fat), 40 mg chol, 81 mg sod
Blueberry Dessert Scones
Makes 16
Active: 15 min
Total: 1 hr (includes chilling)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp each ground cardamom and salt
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp heavy cream
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp almond or vanilla extract
1. Line two small baking sheets with parchment paper. In large bowl, whisk flour, 1/3 cup sugar, the baking powder, zest, cardamom and salt until combined. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gently fold in blueberries.
2. In 2-cup glass measure, whisk 3/4 cup cream, eggs and extract until blended; slowly stir into dry ingredients just until a wet dough comes together. Divide in half.
3. With floured hands, transfer dough to each prepared baking sheet. Pat each into a 6 1/4-in. round, a scant 1 in. thick. with floured knife, cut each round into 8 wedges. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
4. Heat oven to 375°F. Brush dough with remaining 1 Tbsp cream and sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp sugar. Bake 24 minutes, or until scones are golden and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm.
Per scone: 179 cal, 3 g pro, 21 g car, 1 g fiber, 10 g fat (6 g sat fat), 55 mg chol, 154 mg sod
Blueberry-Melon Salad with Thyme Syrup
Serves 8
Active: 25 min
Total: 45 min
Thyme syrup
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Peel and juice from 1 lemon
4 large sprigs fresh thyme, preferably lemon thyme
Salad
3 cups each diced cantaloupe, honeydew melon and seedless watermelon
1 pint blueberries
Garnish: lemon thyme sprigs
1. Thyme syrup: Bring all ingredients to a gentle boil in a small saucepan; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let steep 20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and lemon peel. Cool syrup to room temperature or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2. Salad: Just before serving, gently toss together fruit in a serving bowl; add 1/3 cup of the thyme syrup and toss. Spoon into dessert bowls or glasses and garnish with thyme sprigs. Serve with extra thyme syrup, if desired.
Per serving: 181 cal, 1 g pro, 46 g car, 2 g fiber, 0 g fat (0 g sat fat), 0 mg chol, 22 mg sod
Summer Fruit Kuchen
Serves 9
Active: 20 min
Total: 1 1/2 hr
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon and salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 ripe peach, pitted and cut into 1/2 -in. wedges
1 ripe plum, pitted and cut into 1/2 -in. wedges
Crumb topping
3 Tbsp each all-purpose flour and light brown sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut in bits
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-in. square baking pan with nonstick foil; let foil extend over ends of pan.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with mixer on high speed for 2 minutes until smooth. On medium speed, beat in eggs and vanilla just until combined. On low speed, beat in flour mixture and milk until blended. Gently fold 1/2 cup blueberries into batter.
3. Spread batter into prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Top with peach and plum slices, evenly spaced in batter. Scatter with remaining 1 cup blueberries.
4. Topping: In a medium bowl, rub ingredients together with fingertips until moistened and clumpy, then scatter over fruit. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and kuchen starts to pull away slightly from sides of pan. Cool in pan on wire rack.
5. Lift foil by ends onto work surface. Using 2 large spatulas, lift cake from foil onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.
Per serving: 385 cal, 5 g pro, 49 g car, 2 g fiber, 20 g fat (12 g sat fat), 95 mg chol, 149 mg sod
Blueberry Focaccia
Serves 12
Active: 20 min
Total: 2 hr (includes rising)
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 packet (1/4 oz) rapid-rise active dry yeast
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups blueberries
1. Pulse sugar and lemon zest in food processor until zest is finely ground and incorporated into the sugar. In a large bowl, whisk 1/3 cup of the lemon sugar, 3 cups of the flour, the yeast and salt until blended.
2. Heat milk in a 2-cup measure in microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes, or until temperature registers 130°F on an instant-read thermometer; add to flour mixture with egg and butter. Mix with a rubber spatula until a soft, sticky dough forms; scrape dough onto a floured surface. Using a dough scraper to assist, knead with some of the remaining ½ cup flour to form a smooth and pliable dough, about 2 minutes. Cover the dough with the mixing bowl; let rest 10 minutes.
3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide dough in half. working with 1 piece of dough at a time, stretch and pat out on parchment into a 12-in. free-form rectangle, about 1/4 in. thick. Scatter with half the blueberries and half of the remaining lemon sugar. On floured surface, pat out and stretch remaining dough slightly larger than the first piece and place over bottom dough. Press edges together and tuck under the loaf. Cover with a sheet of greased plastic wrap. Place baking sheet in a warm area. Let rise 1 hour.
4. Heat oven to 350°F. With floured fingers, dimple surface of loaf (pierce any bubbling with a knife tip to release air pockets). Scatter top of loaf with remaining blueberries and lemon sugar. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Slide focaccia onto a wire rack and cool slightly. Serve warm.
Per serving: 236 cal, 6 g pro, 41 g car, 2 g fiber, 6 g fat (3 g sat fat), 30 mg chol, 163 mg sod
Blueberry Key Lime Cheesecake
Serves 12
Active: 30 min
Total: 5 hr (includes cooling)
Crust
10 shortbread cookies (we used Keebler sandies simply shortbread)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Filling
3 bricks (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp grated lime zest
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 drop liquid green food color (optional)
Blueberry topping
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water
3 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp lime juice
1. Heat oven to 325°F. Spray an 8 x 3in. springform pan with nonstick spray.
2. Crust: process cookies in food processor to make fine crumbs. Add butter; pulse to blend. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes or until set. Cool on wire rack.
3. Filling: In large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and sour cream. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl and beater once or twice. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended. Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth and creamy; pour over crust.
4. Bake 60 minutes or until cake is almost set and center still jiggles slightly when touched. Remove to a rack; cut around outside edge of cake to loosen from sides. Cool on rack 3 hours (cake will sink as it cools). Cover and refrigerate up to several days.
5. Topping: In small saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and water until blended. Add 1 cup blueberries; mash berries well with a potato masher. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a full boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Stir in lime juice and another 1/2 cup blueberries. Spread on top of cheesecake; top cheesecake with remaining 1 1/2 cups blueberries. Refrigerate until serving.
Per serving: 409 cal, 6 g pro, 38 g car, 1 g fiber, 27 g fat (15 g sat fat), 126 mg chol, 261 mg sod
