The Observer Newspapers | Prepare a Summer Treat

July 11, 2008

Prepare a Summer Treat—Fresh Fruit Pie

Blueberries are ripe and there are plenty available in supermarkets and area farmers markets. With all of the spring rains, the berries are intensely sweet and plentiful. Blueberries are a perfect fruit for a summer pie, and they are equally delicious in a single berry or a combined berry pie. My family's favorite fruit pies are those that do not have a lot of extra seasonings—the delicate flavor of the berry is easily overwhelmed.

Blueberries are one of the easiest fruits to preserve—simply wash, stem and freeze in quart-size bags, one of which makes a pie. They can be quickly thawed for baking in pies, cobblers or muffins, or adding to a fruit salad.

When blueberries are in season, it is great to have a selection of new recipes to try the minute you arrive home with ripe fruit. Many of these recipes can use frozen berries, in case you cannot get ripe fruit. One exception is my family's favorite Raspberry and Blueberry Pie as the fresh fruit is worth the difference in flavor for this pie. Remember to top with French vanilla ice cream or fresh-whipped sweetened cream.

Val Johnson's Blueberry Buckle

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 cups blueberries

Topping:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream sugar and butter together. Add egg and milk. Gradually add flour, salt and baking powder. Fold in blueberries. Put in greased and floured tube or bundt pan. For topping, melt butter, add sugar, flour and cinnamon. Mix by hand and sprinkle over cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Party Blueberry Peach Trifle

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups cold water

2 tsp. grated lemon rind

3 1/2 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

4 cups pound cake, cut in bite-size cubes

3 cups fresh peeled and chopped peaches

2 cups fresh blueberries

Large glass bowl with high sides

Can of whipped cream

Sprigs of fresh mint

Combine condensed milk, water and lemon rind in a large bowl; mix well. Add pudding mix, beat until well-blended. Chill for 5 minutes. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon 2 cups pudding mixture into glass serving dish, top with 1/2 of cake cubes, all the peaches, 1/2 of remaining pudding mixture, remaining cake cubes, then blueberries and all remaining pudding mixture, spread to within 1-inch of the edge of the bowl. (You want the blueberries to show around the edge of the bowl.) Chill at least 4 hours. Garnish with more whipped cream and sprigs of fresh mint. This makes enough for about 20 people.

Traditional Deep-Dish Blueberry Pie

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

5 cups blueberries

2 tsp. finely grated lemon rind

2 Tbsp. butter

Enough crust for a 2-crust, deep-dish pie

Glaze:

2 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. sugar

Blend together flour, sugar, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Add blueberries and lemon rind. Fold the berries through the sugar mixture, careful not to crush the fruit. Pile everything into a very deep, 9-inch pie pan. Dot with butter. Cover filling with the top crust, and seal, crimp edges, and cut vents in top. Brush top gently with milk, and sprinkle sugar over milk areas. Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 20 minutes, and then reduce the temperature to 350 and continue to bake for 35 to 40 minutes longer, or until the top crust is golden. This pie will almost always run over the sides, so be sure to put a pan underneath, or use a pie plate that has extra high or wide sides. Let cool 20 minutes before serving. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or French Vanilla ice cream.

Susan Morinaga's Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1/2 cup butter or margarine

3 eggs

1 cup white sugar

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups blueberries

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup nuts

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs, sour cream and vanilla . Stir in mixed dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt). Beat until smooth. Toss the berries gently in a bit of flour to lightly coat. Add berries and mix gently so you do not smash berries. Spread half batter in bundt or tube pan. Stir together brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over batter in pan and spread remaining batter in pan. Sprinkle some of mixture on top once again and bake cake for 45 to 60 minutes, until lightly brown and done. Cool cake and sprinkle with powdered sugar, or drizzle with your favorite icing.

Fresh Fruit Pie

1 cup mandarin oranges, reserve juice

1 cup fresh sliced and peeled peaches

1 cup whole fresh strawberries or red pitted cherries, or mixture of both

1 cup chunk pineapple, reserve juice

1 cup sliced bananas

1/4 cup shredded sweet coconut

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

Red food coloring, optional

9-inch pie shell, baked and cooled

1 can real whipping cream

Combine reserved juice, and bring to a boil, and sugar and cornstarch, and stir until thickened and clear. Remove from heat and add coconut, then add 1 drop red food coloring (you can omit this if you do not like red dye). Stir and let cool while sitting the saucepan in a bed of ice. When cooled, arrange fruit in the shell, and spoon the thickened juice mixture over the top until all fruit is covered. Chill. Slice and top with whipped cream.

Raspberry and Blueberry Pie

9-inch double crust pastry ready for a pie

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups fresh raspberries

3 Tbsp. tapioca

2 Tbsp. butter

2/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine berries in a large bowl. Toss lightly with sugar and tapioca. Prepare pie crust. Turn fruit into bottom crust. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust. Cut several steam vents. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees, and reduce temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool a few minutes before serving, and serve warm with French vanilla ice cream.

Uncooked Blueberry Pie

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/8 cup water

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. Cointreau

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

3 cups fresh blueberries

9-inch pie shell, pre-baked and cooled

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped and sweetened

Fresh mint leaves

In saucepan, mix 1 1/2 cups blueberries, sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch with 1/8 cup water, and blend into the sauce in the pan. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add the butter to the mixture, remove from heat and cool in the refrigerator for five minutes. Then mix in the liqueur, almonds, and fold in gently the uncooked berries. Stir gently until well mixed. Pour them into the cooked and cooled pie shell. Chill until set. Just before serving, top slices with fresh whipped cream, and top with a leaf of fresh mint for decoration.

Joanne's Peach Pies

2 pie shells, cooked and cooled (bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees)

8 oz. cream cheese

2 cups sugar

6 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 cups water

1 small package peach gelatin

8 peaches

Mix cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar, and spread on cooled pie shells. Cook cornstarch, water, and 2 cups sugar until thick. Add peach gelatin to the cooked mixture, then blend and cool. Slice peaches and place in pie crust. Pour cooled gelatin mixture into the pie shells of top of the peaches. Top with Cool Whip and chill.