by Better Homes and Kitchens
Serves: 6. Preparation time: 75 minutes.
For the Jam:
For the Cakes:
For the Filling:
• To make the Jam: Add 2 cups of Blueberries, White Sugar, Fresh Lemon Juice, Water and a pinch of Salt to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir every minute or so and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer and occasionally stir for 30 minutes. Transfer the Jam to a widemouth jar and allow to cool. The Jam will thicken.
• To make the Cakes: Preheat the oven to 360°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the Flour, Baking Soda and Salt. Set aside. With an electric mixer, beat together the White and Brown Sugars and Butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add a whole Egg and beat together again, stopping to scrape down the sides. Add the Vanilla Extract and repeat. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add half the Flour Mixture, then half the Buttermilk, then the rest of the Flour Mixture, then the remaining Buttermilk. Stop the mixer, remove the bowl and scrape the sides and bottom. With a rubber spatula, gently blend in ½ C. of the Fresh Blueberries (reserving ¼ C.). Use an ice cream scoop (2 tablespoon size) and scoop 6 mounds of batter on to the first baking sheet paper, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Dip your finger in warm water and smooth out the Cakes to flatten them. The first sheet are the Pie Bottoms. Do the same on the second sheet but imbed a few Fresh Blueberries on top from the remaining ¼ C. The second sheet are the Pie Tops. Bake them 15-18 minutes rotating the sheets half way. Allow to cool completely.
• To make the Filling: With an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the Heavy Cream, Confectioners Sugar and Vanilla Extract on medium-low until foamy (about 1 minute). Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form (about 2-3 minutes). Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Add the softened Cream Cheese pieces. Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form (about 1 minute). Place the Filling in the refrigerator until the Cakes are completely cool.
• Assemble the Pies: Cover the first 6 Cakes with some Filling. Then cover that with some Blueberry Jam, previously made. Top each with the second Cakes that have exposed Blueberries on top. Chill the Pies in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to firm up the Pies before serving.
"Blueberries" - These popular and tasty small round berries with a flared crown opposite the stem are related to Cranberries and Huckleberries. Blueberries are moderately rich in Vitamins C and K. They are native to North America and grow well in Florida. There are both "low-bush" and "high-bush" varieties. Wine is sometimes made from this fruit. Oregon is the largest producer in the USA but Hammonton, NJ claims to be the "Blueberry Capital of the World", while the "Wild Blueberry" is the official fruit of the state of Maine.
