Aaah,
Blueberry Buckle. Summer would not be the same without this old fashioned homey
dessert. It's hard to resist soft and sweet blueberries sandwiched between a crunchy
streusel and a buttery sweet white cake. While normally it's baked in one large
pan, and there is a recipe on the site done
that way, for this recipe I decided to make individual servings. Blueberry Buckle is delicious warm
from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream.
And if there are any leftovers, just cover and refrigerate, as it's also very good eaten cold when the streusel has turned wonderfully hard and
crunchy. If blueberries are out of season you can also make a Buckle with other
berries, like raspberries and/or blackberries.
Have you ever wondered why this dessert is called a Buckle? I have, so I
decided to look up "buckle" in the dictionary. The first definition given
was for the clasp on your belt. No help there. But upon further reading,
'buckle' was also defined as "to bend, warp, bulge, or collapse"
which, when you think about it, is exactly what happens to a blueberry
buckle as it bakes. That is because, during baking, the baking powder in
the cake causes the buckle to rise. But with all those blueberries and
streusel on top of the cake batter, the cake rises unevenly, thereby
giving it that 'buckled' look.
Blueberries are native to North America which means if you live in the
right place you may be able to pick your own. For the rest of us there are
cultivated berries which are much larger in size and lighter in color.
Both types are wonderfully sweet with just a touch of tartness. If taste
isn't enough to get you to eat these berries, their health benefits will;
rich in antioxidants, high in fiber, high in potassium, and low in sodium.
When buying blueberries, look for firm, plump, fragrant, dark blue berries
with a dusty white bloom. The white bloom is the blueberry's natural protection against the
sun and is a sign of freshness. Always check the underside of the
container for any wet spots or staining. Discard any soft, moldy, or
crushed berries.
Blueberry Buckle: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter,
or spray with a non-stick vegetable spray, six - 8 ounce (240 ml) ramekins or
heatproof cups.
Streusel Topping: In a bowl,
mix together the flour, sugars, and ground cinnamon. Cut the butter into
the dry ingredients using
a pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside while
you make the cake batter.
Cake Batter: In a separate bowl
whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of your electric mixer,
fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light
and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scape down
the sides and bottom of your bowl as needed. Add
the flour mixture (in three additions), alternately with the milk (in two
additions), and beat only until combined. Spread about 1/4 cup (65 grams) of
the batter into the bottom of
each ramekin, smoothing the tops.
Filling: In a large bowl, mix
together the blueberries, lemon juice, flour, and sugar. Place about 1/2 cup (75
grams) of the blueberries into each ramekin, and then sprinkle each with about 1/3 cup
(35 grams) of the streusel topping.
Place the ramekins on a baking
sheet and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the streusel
has browned and
the blueberry filling starts to bubble. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool
for about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with softly whipped cream or
vanilla ice cream.
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