BlackBerry Blueberry Lemon Bars

I've made it clear the berry lemon pairing works wonderfully. If you're interested in some other ways to combine them, you can try this blueberry and lemon curd French toast, blueberry and lemon curd mascarpone tarts, or this mixed berry Dutch baby with a splash of lemon juice and zest. They work together so well despite both being inherently tart. Extra sugar and a creamy factor add to the subtle sweetness of the berries usually do the trick to bring everything together.

This recipe has a lot going on in terms of texture, and you can enjoy it as breakfast, brunch, or dessert with a scoop of ice cream.

This recipe also uses several flour alternatives; I used almond and oat flour for the crust to try to take advantage of the benefits. Due to the way these flours absorb liquid, the crust will be on the softer side, so you might need to add a little bit of extra or flour to thicken it enough for you to be able to press into the bottom of the baking pan - but don't overdo it. I also used millet flour for the crumble and advise the same, but you won’t have to worry as much compared to the crust. You can also just use all-purpose flour in both cases!

Ingredients

Crust:

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 sticks (plant-based) butter

2 cups almond flour

1/3 cup oat flour (+ a little extra if necessary)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1 egg

1 cup blueberries

2 cups blackberries

1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)

16-ounces Greek yoghurt cheese cream, softened/room temperature

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup coconut cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Crumbling:

1 cup millet flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Zest of one lemon

1 stick (plant-based) butter, melted

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

Instructions

Turn your oven to 350F. 

Prepare the crust. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add the almond flour, oat flour, and salt, then beat until combined - add a little extra oat flour if necessary sure it is the right consistency. Press the crumbly mixture into an oil-sprayed 9 by 13 baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes - frequently check after 20 minutes to make sure it doesn't burn; you want it firm enough to gold the filling.

While that is baking, make the filling. In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese and sugar. Beat in the egg. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and then gently fold in the washed and drained blueberries. 

Prepare the crumble. Whisk those ingredients until they resemble a soft dough. 

Once the crust is cooled, evenly pour and spread the filling, distributing the crumble on top. Bake the bars for 50-60 minutes, making sure the centre is set. You can jiggle the tray and lightly press with your fingers to make sure. 

Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then chill for at least 2 hours to set in the fridge fully. Once chilled, cut into squares, dust with icing sugar and serve.

Note: the butter should be softened but not near melting.

Blackberry, Mint and Ricotta Galette

Recently I shared a recipe for a savoury galette choke-full with juicy tomatoes and a creamy cheese mixture. If you haven’t checked it out, it’s here.  That was probably one of my favourite meals this season, and it was super simple to make. I should have been putting these free form pastries together long ago and more often!

Speaking of which, I like to cook with what is fresh and in season. Not only do you get better quality and cheaper goods, but there are likely fewer pesticides used on fruits and vegetables consumed at their peak.

I knew I wanted to do something with berries, and the galette inspired me - a sweeter type anyway! 

This version is muddled with mint leaves to give it some freshness and compliment the berries, sweetened with honey, sugar, with a bed of ricotta cheese underneath. You can serve this galette for brunch, or after lunch or dinner. This will impress your guests for sure!

Originally I wanted to use mulberries for this recipe, which are native to Africa, Asia, and Europe. I grew up eating these berries, partly because we had two trees in my back garden to pick from! I made mulberry jam quite often or took them to school to share with my classmates who had silkworms (they love mulberry leaves). However, I never made any sort of pasty for some odd reason (not that I made this puff pastry sheet from scratch).

One recurring memory I have when it comes to mulberries is the grave warnings I would receive about getting them all over my clothes and risk losing them forever! Mulberries STAIN like crazy.

Some people may think they are the same as blackberries but they are two entirely different plants. Close enough for this recipe though. Blackberries are rounder in shape and grow on thorny bushes, mulberries are long and grow in trees. Both have great health benefits and are supple and delicious as most berries are. They are loaded with antioxidants, fibre, and help with inflammation.

Ingredients

1/4 cup white sugar

12 ounces blackberries, rinsed

4 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/3 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons honey + extra for brushing

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 sheet puff pasty or pie crust, thawed at room temperature

2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt crystals

1 heaped teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

Rinse the berries and pat dry, transfer to a large bowl.

Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons mint, 1/2 teaspoon salt, thyme, and the cornstarch. Mix until the berries are evenly coated.

In a smaller bowl, add the ricotta cheese, remaining mint leaves and 1/2 teaspoon salt, honey, 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, mix well. 

Spoon the ricotta mixture over the centre of the puff pastry sheet, leaving about an inch of a border around the edges. Top with the berries, leaving any liquid residue in the bowl.

Fold and crimp the edges over the outside berries to create your galette. Brush the edges with some honey, then top with the rest of the cinnamon sugar and sprinkle some sea salt crystals. Pierce a few tiny holes with a fork to help the pastry breathe as it bakes. 

Bake in a 400F oven for about 30 minutes, checking to make sure the puff pastry has baked and browned.

Garnish with icing sugar and mint leaves. Serve as it is, with fresh cream or ice cream!