Breakfast and Snacks

To make the topping, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the almonds and set aside.

To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high, until fluffy. Add the egg, cream, and almond extract, and beat until fully incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Beat the butter in large bowl on medium-high, until creamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and continue to beat until fluffy and light. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition.

Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Spread the cream cheese filling in a layer over the batter. Sprinkle the blueberries in an even layer over the filling. Drop the remaining batter in spoonfuls over the top, and spread evenly; do not mix the layers. Top with the sugar-almond mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Let the cake cool in the pan completely before cutting.

Serves 12 to 16

Blueberry-Banana Bread

This is a good use for summer blueberries frozen and saved for winter.

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)

1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 3 by 8-inch metal loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. (Note: Ovenproof glass conducts heat more than metal does, so if you’re using a glass rather than a metal loaf pan, decrease the oven temperature by 25 degrees.)

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, butter, and bananas and mix well. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients all at once. Stir only enough to moisten. Add the blueberries and gently fold in. Turn into the prepared loaf pan. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until top is golden-brown. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm. To store bread, wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.

Makes 1 loaf

Blueberry-Ginger Scones

Dried blueberries are available in gourmet stores or high-end supermarkets. Scones are best served warm from the oven with butter or jam. Traditionally, they are served with clotted cream or whipped cream.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ cup crystallized ginger, chopped

¼ cup dried blueberries

½ cup cold unsalted butter, diced

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, and blueberries and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Transfer to a bowl. Add the ½ cup heavy cream and stir until the dough comes together, taking care not to overmix. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently, folding about 10 times, or until the dough holds together and its consistency is smooth. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a 6-inch disk. Cut the disk into 8 wedges. Place the wedges 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of heavy cream with the egg and beat lightly. Brush the scones with the egg wash. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling rack to cool. Best served immediately.

Makes 8 scones

Blueberry Corn Pancakes

The combination of blueberries and corn is a big hit on a summer morning. Add grated orange zest for extra zing. The batter can be made ahead of time; leftover batter keeps well in an airtight container for up to two days. Serve the pancakes hot from the griddle with maple syrup and butter.

1 cup fresh or frozen sweet corn (leftover cooked or grilled corn is fine too)

3 large eggs

1½ cups milk

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1¼ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

If using fresh corn, bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the corn kernels and blanch for 1 minute. Drain the corn and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and butter. Stir in the corn and blueberries. In another bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the corn mixture and stir just until combined. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Grease lightly with canola oil. Working in batches, pour ½ cup of the batter for each pancake on the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the bottoms of pancakes are lightly browned. Flip and cook for about 2 minutes, or until pancakes are cooked through. Transfer to a warmed plate and repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan before each addition.

Serves 4

Blueberry Muffins

The course crystals of turbinado sugar give these delicate muffins an appealing crunch.

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup milk

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1¼ cups fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for topping

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 12 muffin cups with vegetable-oil cooking spray or line with paper muffin cups. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the blueberries. Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full. Sprinkle each muffin with the turbinado sugar. Bake for 35 minutes, or until muffin tops are golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tins, then unmold and transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm. Freeze leftover muffins in plastic wrap or in a tightly sealed plastic bag for up to 2 months.

Makes 12 muffins

Blueberry Morning Glory Muffins

These muffins are packed with healthy ingredients. Make a batch and freeze them for days when the family needs breakfast on the run. Simply defrost for a minute in the microwave.

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup canola oil

1¼ cups sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup peeled and finely grated carrots

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated

½ cup raisins

½ cup shredded coconut

¾ cup chopped pecans

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and mix well. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, carrots, apple, raisins, coconut, pecans, and blueberries. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.

Fill the muffin cups three-quarters of the way full and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in tins, then transfer to cooling rack. Serve warm.

Makes 24 muffins