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Blueberry Lemon Thyme Bread

Blueberry Lemon Thyme Bread

With the end of summer in sight, we are trying hard to make the most of it by squeezing in as much fun as possible while also being mindful to take each day slowly and intentionally.  This past weekend we hosted a backyard morning brunch for our neighbors and it was such a nice way to kick off this end-of-summer season.  The kids ran around and played while the adults mingled and my heart was filled with gratefulness once again for this community that we live in.   Looking ahead to these next couple of weeks, we’re going to try to fit in a just a few more summer playdates, one last mini-golf outing, a trip to the raspberry farm, maybe one more picnic, and so on.  I’ve made this blueberry lemon thyme bread to celebrate the end of summer as well.  We’ve gotten beautiful thyme from our CSA and it adds such a fragrant and fresh summer flavor to the blueberries and lemon.  The bread is made with white whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour for a light texture and yogurt to keep it moist and tender.  This is the kind of loaf which is perfect for an afternoon tea or snack.  It’s sweet, but not quite indulgent enough for dessert. We aren’t always able to sit down for a snack in the afternoons, but I do enjoy the times when we are able to come together for a few moments to rest, recollect ourselves, and savor a sweet treat together.    School is just around the corner and I know I will be missing these times soon.

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Wild Blueberry Pie with Almond Oat Crumble

Wild Blueberry Pie with Almond Oat Crumble | Gather & Dine

Wild Blueberries make me reminisce about childhood summer vacations in Maine.  I have vivid memories of hiking along the breathtaking coastline, visiting quaint little towns, devouring lobster rolls and fresh clam chowder, and picking wild blueberries.  Maine is the only place where I have ever seen wild blueberries grown.  They are much smaller than the blueberries commonly seen in grocery stores, but they are sweeter and have an even more intense blueberry flavor.  I have not been able to find fresh wild blueberries anywhere locally so I used frozen wild blueberries here in this pie.  The wild blueberries make this pie really spectacular, but you can also substitute regular blueberries if you cannot find wild.  The almond crumble topping made from almond paste and oats enhances the whole blueberry experience.  I make this pie every summer and dream about vacationing in Maine.

Wild Blueberry Pie with Almond Oat Crumble | Gather & Dine

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Wild Blueberry Pie with Almond Oat Crumble
 
Ingredients
Crust
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon natural cane sugar
  • ½ cup (8 tablespoons) of cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 2-4 tablespoons ice water
Filling
  • ⅔ cup natural cane sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 32 ounces fresh or frozen wild blueberries, about 7 cups
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Crumble
  • ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 ounces almond paste, broken into small pieces, about ¾ cup
  • ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
Crust
  1. Add the flours, salt, and sugar to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 times, or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. While the food processor is running, gradually add the water and process until dough just comes together, no more than 30 seconds. Start with the minimum amount of water and increase if dough is too crumbly.
  3. Form the dough into a flat circular disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
  4. On a lightly floured board, roll dough into a circle about ⅛-inch thick. Carefully transfer the crust into the pie dish and trim the overhanging dough with a knife. Crimp the edges as desired.
  5. Chill crust in the refrigerator while preparing the filling and topping.
Filling
  1. In a large pot, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. With a wooden spoon, sir in the blueberries and lemon juice. Stir gently over medium heat until mixture thickens and becomes bubbly, about 12-15 minutes.
  2. Chill filling until cool, about 1 hour.
Crumble
  1. Add the oats, flour, almond paste, butter,and salt into the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture begins to hold together. Transfer to a small bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Assembly
  1. Preheat the oven to 400.
  2. Pour the blueberry filling into the chilled pie crust. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch small pieces of the almond oat crumble and sprinkle evenly over the filling.
  3. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crust and topping become golden and the filling bubbles, about 45-50 minutes.
  4. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
adapted from Bon Appetit

 

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Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins

whole wheat blueberry banana muffins

One of my favorite childhood summer vacations was spending a week in beautiful Martha’s Vineyard.  I have fond memories of relaxed walks by the ocean, window shopping on the quaint streets, and of course, eating at lots of great restaurants.  One of the most well known restaurants on the island is The Black Dog and these muffins are adapted from one of the recipes found in their cookbook.  While I never ate these muffins at their bakery,  making these muffins from their cookbook reminds me of those lazy summer days.

These muffins are completely whole-grain, lightly sweetened with honey, and dairy-free.  I prefer my muffins not to be overly sweet, so if you prefer things on the sweeter side, increase the amount of honey by about 1/4 cup.  For an extra-special treat, substitute chocolate chips for the blueberries.  YUM!  These store well in the freezer and it’s so convenient to be able to pull them out and pack for lunches!

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Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins
Serves: makes 20-22 muffins
 
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups whole wheat flour
  • 1½ cups rolled oats
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ cup honey
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup ground flaxseed
  • 6 ripe medium bananas
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line muffins cups.
  2. With a stand mixer, mash the bananas until smooth. Add the honey, canola oil, flaxseed, and vanilla. Mix together on medium speed until all ingredients are combined thoroughly.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
  4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until ingredients are just incorporated. Batter will be lumpy. Fold in blueberries with a rubber spatula.
  5. Divide muffin batter among muffin cups and fill each about ¾ full.
  6. Bake for about 30-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
adapted from the Black Dog Summer on the Vineyard Cookbook

 

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