If you're enjoying the abundance of blueberry season, you're going to want to add this recipe to your repertoire. Our friend Theresa Sanders suggested this recipe created by Chef Heidi Fink. Originally written for rhubarb, Lori found that the recipe adapted perfectly to blueberries. The balance of crust to filling to fruit is perfect. It's one of those desserts that gets better and better with every bite. And in the end, you'll be reaching for another!
Ingredients for the Crust:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 stick cold butter cut into pieces
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp Murray River Flake Salt*
Directions for the Crust:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9″ x 13″ (approx) metal or glass pan.
In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Mix with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Butter should be completely incorporated. A food processor works well for this. Press crumbs firmly, but not too firm, into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press a tiny bit up the sides of the pan as well. Place pan on lower rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and reduce oven heat to 350 F.
Ingredients for the Filling:
1½ cups sugar
3 eggs
5 Tbl all-purpose flour
2 tsp Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp Murray River Flake Salt*
1/4 cup whipping cream (I have left this out sometimes and the bars are still great)
4 to 5 cups fresh blueberries
Directions for the Filling:
While the crust is baking, mix the filling (reserving half the blueberries). In a large bowl, mix the sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, salt, and whipping cream, whisking well to eliminate lumps. Stir in half the blueberries. Once the crust comes out of the oven, pour the topping over it (the crust should still be warm). Top with reserved blueberries. Return to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until custard no longer jiggles and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
*We love Murray River Flake Salt for baking. It's clean tasting and because of its size, it retains a little of its crunch in baked goods. It makes for that perfect "bite" of salt in a chocolate chip cookie. It's a yummy sprinkled on chocolate frosting. It's a must for salted caramels. Fleur de Sel would be a satisfactory substitute...be we love Murray River the most!