Blueberry Kuchen

Recently I visited Onnink’s Blueberry Farm to purchase blueberries for freezing. This farm is located in an area in the Fraser Valley where the trees surround the field and the hawks frighten away the small birds that would ordinarily feast on the blueberries. The owner also informed me that instead of spraying, they scatter beetles on to the fields to eat aphids that would destroy the fruit. Here is a farm that is environmentally friendly. The owner had some recipes to distribute and this one caught my eye – Blueberry Kuchen.

1 ½ cups/375 ml all-purpose flour

¾ cup/175 ml sugar

2 tsp/10 ml baking powder

1 ½ tsp/7 ml lemon zest

¼ tsp/2 ml salt

2/3 cup/150 ml milk

¼ cup/60 ml butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp/5 ml vanilla

2 cups/500 ml blueberries, fresh or frozen (thawed & drained)

Topping:

¾ cup/175 ml sugar

½ cup/125 ml all-purpose flour

¼ cup/60 ml butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C. Grease a 13” by 9” (32cm by 22cm) baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add the milk, butter, egg and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out. Sprinkle with the blueberries.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and flour; add butter. Toss with a fork until crumbly; sprinkle over blueberries.

Bake the cake for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yields: 12 servings.

Gingerbread Loaf

This moist, delicious bread smells amazing while it is baking, as a reminder of ginger, cinnamon and cloves in cookies you would bake at Christmas time. The recipe, originally from Holland, has old-fashioned appeal for those with European origin. This batter can be divided and baked in four small or two large loaf pans, enough to taste and to freeze for later or to give away.

4 cups/1 L all-purpose flour

2 cups/500 ml sugar

4 tsp./20 ml baking powder

2 tsp./10 ml ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp./7 ml ground cloves

1 ½ tsp./7 ml ground nutmeg

1 tsp. /5 ml ground ginger

1 tsp. /5 ml baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup /250 ml milk

1 cup /250 ml heavy cream

1 cup /250 ml maple syrup

2 Tbsp. /30 ml vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 325F/160C. Grease two large or four small loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cream, syrup and oil. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Batter will be runny. Scoop the batter into the greased pans.

Bake for 60 – 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks. Enjoy!