Blueberry & Pear Slice

Recipe by Justine Schofield from Everyday Gourmet

Ingredients

200g caster sugar
2 eggs
Zest ½ a lemon
1 vanilla pod, seeds removed
150ml milk
110g butter
150g almond meal
5 tbs flour, sifted
1½ tsp baking powder
2 pears, roughly chopped
100g fresh blueberry

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grease and line a rectangular slice tin with baking paper.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla together until sugar has dissolved.
4. Melt butter and add to milk. Mix into the egg mixture until well combined.
5. Now add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold together with a wooden spoon until an even batter has formed.
6. Add the blueberries and pears and combine.
7. Cook for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Blueberry Cheesecake

I made this blueberry cheesecake as part of a dessert for EPIC youth camp a few weeks ago. 

Ingredients

Base:

200g biscuit crumbs

50g unsalted butter, melted

Filling: 

200ml thickened cream + 1 tablespoon icing sugar

1 tablespoon gelatine powder 
3 tablespoon boiling water 

500g light cream cheese (softened at room temperature) 
60g caster sugar (sifted) 
1 tablespoon lemon juice 
250g blueberry puree (strained) 

Topping: 

4-5 tablespoons blueberry jam 

Method

Line base of 20cm/8" spring form cake pan with cling wrap or baking paper. Toss biscuit crumbs into melted butter and press firmly onto base of cake pan. Chill in the fridge 30 minutes.

Whip cream with icing sugar until firm peaks. Cover and keep chilled.

Place the boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle with gelatine and use a fork to stir until the gelatine dissolves. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

Meanwhile cream cheese, caster sugar and lemon juice together until smooth and creamy.

Add the warm gelatine solution to blueberry purée and mix well.

Add blueberry mixture into cheese mixture and combine till well mixed. Fold in the whipped cream.

Pour cheese mixture onto cake base and chill for about 4 hours or overnight.

Spread the blueberry jam over the top of the cheesecake 45 minutes before serving.

Bircher Muesli with blueberries

This is a great portable breakfast when you are on the go. Simply place the first 3 ingredinets into a cup with a lid, give it a bit of a mix, leave overnight in the fridge and when you're just about to leave home, add a handful of blueberries. Voila! Breakfast is served :)

Ingredients

½ cup rolled oats
½ cup apple juice
½ cup low-fat natural yoghurt (honey flavoured)
¼ cup fresh blueberries

Method

1. Place the oats, juice and yoghurt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Serve the bircher muesli topped with blueberries when ready to eat

Notes & Tips

Be sure to use traditional rolled oats and not instant oats as instant oats are more processed and not as filling.

Banana & Blueberry Loaf

I made this old family favourite today after I noticed I had some over ripe bananas in my fruit bowl and some frozen blueberries in my freezer. This version is low in fat and low in kilojoules :)

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

Melted butter, to grease (or spray can oil)
½ cup mashed overipe banana
½ cup caster sugar
140g carton apple fruit puree
2 eggs (room temperature)
½ cup reduced fat milk
1 tablespoon light olive oil or vegetable oil
3/4 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
3/4 cup white self-raising flour
3/4 cup fresh or thawed frozen blueberries

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 6cm deep, 9.5 x 20cm (base measurement) loaf pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line base and 2 long sides with non-stick baking paper.

Combine the banana, sugar, apple puree, eggs, milk and oil in a large bowl.

Sift over the combined flours. Add the husks from the sieve. Use a large metal spoon to fold the flour into the banana mixture until just combined. Add the blueberries and gently fold.

Spoon the mixture into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into slices to serve