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Sunday, March 31, 2013

Experiment #33113B.....Blueberry and Meyer Lemon Dessert




Ok, this dessert was truly born from experimentation and necessity. I had a pint of blueberries and two Meyer lemons. I had found a forgotten package of croissant dough, and I needed to use them lest they expire.  

First, I cooked the blueberries with a bit of sugar, the zest and the juice from the lemons. It looked a little thin, so I threw in some cooked apple and some corn starch to thicken it. 


At first, I thought I would make cute little individual pies but then, I got lazy. There, I said it. I didnt want to stand there all day pinching closed little pockets of dough that may defy me in the oven and burst open

Then I thought, this yummy fruit concoction I made would be delish on a slice of cheesecake. Then I thought about the sopapilla cheesecake a co-workers wife used to bring to us. 





























Oh, boy, I have an idea. I brushed the bottom of an 8x8 dish with butter then sprinkled on some cinnamon
sugar. Then, I lined the bottom of the pan with croissant dough. 


I mixed together: 1 (8 oz) brick of cream cheese, ½ c. sugar, 1 egg and a ¼ tsp. of lemon extract (I would have used zest, but it was all in my blueberry mixture).  I spread this mixture onto the croissant dough. I topped that with my cooled fruit mixture. 


I added another layer of croissant dough, brushed on more melted butter, and sprinkled with more cinnamon sugar. (My cinnamon is light because my husband doesnt care for copious amounts like I do.) I popped it into a 375°F oven for about 30 min. oh, wow. Im a genius! ;)  

When you first take it out of the oven, it will be puffed up a little. It will deflate as it's cooled. People asked for the recipe, so I thought I better write it down!




Blueberry & Meyer Lemon Cream Cheese Pie


You will need:
Croissant dough (homemade or one store-bought refrigerated tube)
3 to 4 tbsp. melted butter
4 tbsp. cinnamon sugar
Fruit Filling (recipe below)
Cream cheese filling (recipe below)

Butter an 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle in about 1 tbsp. cinnamon sugar. Place one layer of croissant dough on the bottom. Spread in cream cheese filling. Spread on fruit filling. Top with remaining croissant dough. Brush with remaining melted butter. Top with remaining cinnamon sugar. Place in a 375°F oven for 20-35 min. or until golden brown.  Cool completely and store in the refrigerator.

For the fruit filling:
1 pint blueberries
1 Fuji apple, peeled and finely diced
The zest and juice of 2 Meyer lemons
½ to 1 c. sugar (more or less depending on the tartness of your fruit)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

Place blueberries, apple, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar as it heats. Once your fruit is cooked, make a slurry of the cornstarch and water and add to the fruit. Simmer to thickened (at least one minute). Remove from heat and let cool.

For the cream cheese filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
½ c. sugar
1 egg
¼ tsp. lemon extract

Using a mixer, cream together cream cheese and sugar. Add in egg and extract. Beat to creamy consistency. If you have more lemon, add in some zest. 



















Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Yogurt


Some quick ideas for yogurt:


My favorite yogurt! :) Yummy! So many possibilities.
Layer yogurt and vanilla wafers. Top with a dollop of lemon curd. You can eat it
immediately, or you can store in the refrigerator until the cookies soften slightly.
Tastes like a decadent dessert. If you measure your ingredients judiciously, you will
have control over the calories you are using. Don't want cookies? It's great with just a
teaspoon of lemon curd. 


Top with your favorite granola. I like to place fruit in a bowl, top with
yogurt, then granola on top. 

More ideas:

  • Plain yogurt with a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of granola
  • Summer oatmeal: Basically, combine equal parts oatmeal, yogurt, milk. Let set in refrigerator overnight. Serve cold. Top with fruit. 
  • Try with a dollop of Nutella
  • Try crushed up cookies, graham crackers
  • Add lime curd
  • Add chocolate chips or crushed candy
  • Use banana and vanilla wafers for a banana pudding type experience. 
  • Stir in fruit pie filling
  • Add unsweetened apple sauce (another favorite of mine)
  • Add a chopped up apple.
  • Stir in apple butter
I'm looking forward to your comments. What do you add to your yogurt? 

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Red Bean Bun

My attempt at red bean buns.