Wild Blueberry Pie

Even though fall is here my countdown of summer berries isn't over yet. The berry list so far is:

1. Raspberries
2. Red Currants
3. Black Currants

I will give you a hint about the fourth berry on the list. They're round, they're blue, they're delicious...if you guess blueberries you'd be right. I love blueberries and nothing beat wild blueberries. Each year we head out into the bush to stock up on firewood for the winter and one year I hit jackpot....wild blueberries.

The wild blueberry patch I found!

 Okay I admit wild blueberry picking comes with it's own set of dangerous, like bears picking with you in your patch. But my oh my you haven't had blueberry pie until you had wild blueberry pie. It is so good that it makes the bear scare total worth it!!! Next year I'm buy bear mace....

Wild blueberries are nature's antioxidant super fruit. With twice the antioxidant capacity of ordinary blueberries.They have cancer fighting and other disease benefits. Have cholesterol lowering properties and promote heart health. They have been called "brain food" and can help with Alzheimer's prevention. Are an excellent anti-diabetes food, both in prevention and control of the disease. In short they taste fabulous and are good for you.  

Fresh blueberries are the best for you but unfortunately they are usually only in season during summer months here. You can still find them in store at other times but they're just not the same. The next best choice is frozen, usually available year-round and I have even found frozen wild blueberries. 

I love using wild blueberries when I'm baking. 

You get twice the amount of blueberries when you use wild ones which means your baked goods have more berries in every bite. The wild one have more skin and less water so your berries bleed less, don't make your muffins/pies/scones soggy and pack more "blueberry punch." I say they next time your buying blueberry try the smaller wild variety you'll be hooked for life :)

My favorite thing to make with wild blueberries is....Wild Blueberry Pie. I use my adapt version of No Fail Pie Dough. I love this pie crust recipe because it absolutely NEVER fails!! Try my version or the original  Tenderflake No Fail Pie Crust recipe found here. Either way you will not be disappointed, it is the best pie crust recipe out there :)

~Wild Blueberry Pie~

5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 lb chilled butter, cut into cubes
1 egg
1 tablespoon cold lemon juice
1 cup cold water

Stir the flour and salt together. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the butter is in pea size pieces.
In a small bowl combine egg, and lemon juice. Whisk the egg and lemon juice together, add the cold water.

Stir the liquid into the flour mixture. Stir with wooden spoon until all ingredients are thoroughly combine and you have a soft dough.  Gather the dough into a ball and cut dough (like a cake) into 6 portions.

Cover and refrigerate for one hour. You can chill the dough overnight but bring it to room temperature approx 15-20 min. before rolling out.

You can roll out the dough by lightly flouring work surface and rolling into circle. I always use my "up-cycled" cereal bags for this part, click here. 

Lightly flour two clean, wash cereal bags and roll the dough out between the bags. The dough rolls out easily, doesn't stick and you can use the bag to transfer and flip the rolled out pie crust right into the pie pan. 


~Blueberry Pie Filling~

3 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine the blueberries, sugar and cornstarch in a pot.  




Simmer on low heat until the blueberries, sugar and corn starch mixture starts to melt and the berry release their nature juices. 

Add lemon juice. 







Cook, while stirring, over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil and is thick, approx. 5. Allow the filling to cool completely before adding to pie crust. 

You can use this filling for tarts, cake filling or cheesecake topping. I never add any extra water when I make this filling, just the juice from the berry so the filling is full of flavour. 

See how many more blueberries you get when you use wild blueberries.

Add top crust and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with raw sugar or turbino sugar if desired. I love the added crunchy texture the sugar adds so I always sprinkle the top crust with sugar.

 Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 40 minutes, check halfway through and turn the pie to bake evenly if needed. Cover the edges with a strip of foil if edges are getting too brown. 

Delicious Wild Blueberry Pie!

Don't you wanna piece now?

Look how flaky and golden the crust is, it always works out perfectly.

Blueberry pie is just one of the many ways you can enjoy these delicious  sweet little berries. Actual I made a batch of Blueberry Streusel Muffins recently and I used the Raspberry Almond Streusel Muffin recipe I posted earlier. You can find the muffin recipe here.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Well there you go, two great reasons why you should start using blueberries in your baking. Now get in the kitchen and bake up a storm. 

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend. See you soon!!

Love,
 Katya 

SweetBakedLove is off to the Market....

Today was the first day of the Farmers Market and after spending all day yesterday baking up a store like a mad woman I am happy to say that I pretty much sold out of everything....yay!! It was really cold this morning, which wasn't the best thing BUT it kept me awake so I can't complain. I had a great time at the market and some dear friends showed up to sell their homemade goods; it was a pleasant surprise seeing them there. Selling my home baked goods + chatting with friends + fresh air + blooming flowers + great music playing = a really great way to spend a Friday!!  

Tomato plants for sale, a vendor selling Grilled Souvlaki, pita and tzatziki... it smelled so good and a guy selling homemade Swiss sausage right across from my table....I sampled those...yummo!!

There something about Farmers Markets that I just love. No matter where it is or when it is, it's brings a nostalgic feeling of times when things were just simpler. Nothing fancy schmancy just some great home baking, farm fresh products, crafts, gardening supplies, live music and so much more. I love it. 

A little video I filmed at the market, the live music was great, I swear I felt like I was Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairies for a few brief moments, listening to that song. Only thing missing was a horse and buggy....

Once I had my table all set up, off I went to check out my fellow vendors. Before you know it I found a  lovely lady selling Linzer Torte (anytime you can buy Linzer Torte from a Swiss lady with an accent, do it...just saying) next thing you know I found a really pretty plant I just simply needed. Boy, I looked like a overgrown kid in a candy store....ah, the good ole' days .



 Well I could go on and on explaining to you how I feel about the Farmers Market and what it's like but the best way to find out is firsthand. It's Farmers Market time all over the province get out with your friends and families and go to one today!! When you shop at the Farmers Market you help keep BC farmers farming and BC bakers baking. Come join the fun :)

~ Homemade Apple and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie ~

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie

All my goods wrapped and ready to go...

I made homemade pies, cinnamon buns, sweet dough pastries with apricot and date filling, squares and cookies. I made different varieties of each kind of baked goods I listed BUT my favorite thing was a Russian sweet treat called Gorka aka Hill !!

Wonderful Sweet Squares called Gorka!

Okay if I translate it from Russian to English, it would be called "hill". How original hey, it's a Russian thing I think, when it comes to naming things we keep it simple. I had a few cats named "Kошка" which simply means cat. See simple! Well let me tell you when it come to these bars they are anything but simple, I mean taste wise. They are made out of a sweeten unleavened dough which is rolled out and cut into thin strips, then the strip of dough are deep fried till light, airy, and slightly golden, kind of like puff pastry . Once all the dough strips are fried you make a honey and sugar mixture that is warmed up, pour the sweet golden mixture all over the fried dough strips. Stir to coat all the fluffy dough strip with the honey mixture and press into a pan. Cool, cut into pieces and indulge. D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. I can't even begin to imagine how to explain the taste all I know is once you try it you can't stop! 


These squares are so delicious I'm going to share the recipe with you today. Have fun making the "Hill" aka Gorka.

~Gorka~

First start by preparing the oil for deep frying. You can use a deep fryer, follow manufactures direction to deep fry. I use a normal cooking pot with tall sides. Pour canola oil or lard in the pot no more than half full. If you have a candy thermometer get it out and ready. Set pot on burner and leave till needed. Don't turn burner on yet!!

*Always be very careful while deep-frying.*

Ingredients:

  

1 dozen eggs

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Combine ingredients in mixing bowl. Beat well with mixer till light, foamy and frothy. Should be approx. triple in volume.

3-4 cups flour

Add 3 cups flour all at once and stir to combine to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. If this dough is really moist and sticky add the 4th cup of flour. The amount of flour used can vary depending on the size of egg I use large eggs, just keep in mind that the dough should be soft, slightly sticky not tough and hard.     

Sprinkle the work surface with a dusting of flour and lightly knead dough 2-3 minutes into a soft dough ball. Cut the dough ball into 6 even pieces and shape into balls. 

Start heating the oil at this time. Always be very careful while deep-frying. You can use a normal cooking pot (one with tall sides is best). Put the oil in the pot and put it on the stove. Begin heating the oil over medium heat. To control the temperature, you can use a thermometer. The best temperature is 350 to 375 degrees F. Just turn the heat up or down until you can maintain a consistent temperature.  While the oil is heating finish cutting dough into strips.

Lightly dust work surface with flour then roll out each piece one at a time into a round shape about 1/8 inch thickness, approximately 10 inch round. 

Cut the rounds in half and then the half in half again, length wise. You should have a circle cut into 4 lengthwise strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and with a sharp knife, cut into thin strips. See diagram. 

Carefully drop handful of dough strips into heated oil, stir lightly with metal spoon. Be careful as oil can bubble over, if oil starts bubbling up to much, stop and change the oil it will boil over and can cause a fire. **If the oil does bubble over carefully turn off burner, remove pot from burner and sprinkle baking soda on burning oil in burner.**

Fry all the dough strip till lightly golden. Remove from oil carefully with metal slotted spoon into a large bowl lined with paper towel. Finish frying all the dough strips, then set aside while you make the honey/sugar mixture.

~ Honey Mixture ~

1 cup honey

2 cups sugar

Combine the honey and sugar in a saucepan. Heat on medium high till mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat and pour all over the fried dough strips. Use a wooden or metal spoon to mix and coat all the dough strips well. *Careful mixture is hot don't mix with your hands!!*

Evenly press the mixture into a lightly greased 13x9x2 inch pan or mold into a hill shape as per tradition. Score and cut squares while still warm. Cool completely and remove squares from pan.

Enjoy!

Once all the baking was done I came up with the idea to make rustic signs to display my baking. Eight o'clock at night I was outside cutting down trees, I'm sure my neighbors think I'm a bit insane but hey, it was totally worth it they turned out to be pretty darn cute.

All said and done I had a great time and look forward to next week to another day at the Farmers Market.

Check your locally market out, you'll be pleasantly surprised :)

Pies, pies, pies....

All set up!

Sweet Dough Apricot Pastries 

Chocolate Puff Wheat Squares

~ White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies ~

Chocolate Chip Smarties Monster Cookies

P.S. I linked up all my favorite Farmers Markets. Just click each highlighted Farmers Market on my blog and it will open  a new page with some of my favorite Farmers Market's I've visited over the years. 

Have fun and thanks for stopping by,

Love 

Apricot Piroshki and Kolachki....the art of baking!

One of the earliest memories of baking in the kitchen with my mom was that of making apricot piroshki and kolachki. I remember when all I was allowed to do was to make my own little sweet dough designs, which my mom baked and I got to eat. They weren't pretty that's for sure but I was proud of them. I use to watch with amazement as my mother's nibble hands cut out sweet dough rounds, filled each round with fruit filling then twisted and knotted the sweet dough into intricate designs. At that age I never imagined that one day I would be making them myself. 

Eventually I graduated from the egg wash apprentice to making these apricot piroshki all by myself. It was a learning processes that left me with many fond memories of baking in the kitchen with my mom at an early age. Maybe some of you may have had a similar experience making these delicious, sweet, and scrumptious goodies. If so you won't need any explanation on how yummy these apricot piroshki are. If you haven't made them before well there's no better time to start than today. 


I had a few requests for this recipe so today I'm going to share it with you. These are good to make anytime of the year but I think that a cold winter's day, when the snow is swirling outside, is the perfect time to stay inside and make these delicious sweet dough pastries. The house will be filled with the smell of sweet dough  and apricots baking. The oven will warm your kitchen, and the apricot piroshki will warm your soul. So while these pastries are baking in the oven, close your eyes and let the soothing smell of apricots take you away to warm summer days when these sweet tangy fruit are ready for picking. Unfortunately it will be a short trip because before long the oven timer will be buzzing you back to reality. Get your mixing bowl out and start making some memories in the kitchen today:)

~ Sweet Dough ~

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water

1 tablespoon yeast

Pour the warm water into a small bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast onto the water and set aside to develop. Yeast will dissolve, foam and become bubbly when ready. 

7 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 cups warm milk

4 tablespoons melted butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs (room temperature)

In a large mixing bowl combine warm milk, melted butter, olive oil, sugar and salt. Add eggs and blend mixture well. Add the developed yeast mixture and stir to combine. Start adding flour one cup at a time. You can use a wooden spoon but I find that stirring in the flour by hand works best. Add flour until you have a soft, sticky dough. You may need to adjust the amount of flour you add, therefore don't just add the whole amount at once. It's better to have a softer, sticky dough because you can add more flour when your kneading the dough. If you add too much flour the dough will be tough and stiff. Your pastries will not be as light, fluffy and soft if the dough is to stiff.  

Once you've added enough flour to make a soft dough, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough, until the texture goes from soft and sticky to smooth and pliable. Tuck in edges of dough, shaping it into a ball   Lightly oil the bowl and place gently place the dough ball back in the bowl (seams down). Covered the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean dish towel, put in a warm place to allow dough to rise and double in size

~ Apricot filling ~

500 grams dried apricots

2-3 tablespoon water

1 cup apricot jam

Sugar to taste - optional

Place apricots and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low and cover with lid. Let the apricots steam for about 10-15 minutes Until apricots are soft and plump. Puree the soft apricots in a food processor until smooth.  Add 1 cup apricot jam, stir into pureed apricots until combine. Your mixture should be a smooth thick paste. I find that the jam adds just enough sweetness but if you find it is to tart then add sugar to taste. Reduce jam to 3/4 cup if adding sugar. Don't make filling to runny as the filling will run out and all over sheet when baking.  

~ Prune filling ~

500 grams dried prune

2-3 tablespoons water

1 cup plum jam

Sugar to taste - optional

Make the prune filling follow the same steps as above. If you want to make piroshki with both fruit filling cut the ingredients for the filling in half and make half a batch of both kinds. Any leftover fruit filling can be frozen for up to 1 month or just enjoy on toast. 

~ Egg Wash ~

1 egg

Beat egg until light and frothy. Use a brush to apply to sweet dough pastries. Set aside until needed. 

********************************************************************************

How to make Apricot or Prune Piroshki

Make the fruit filling before you start making the sweet dough, this will allow enough time for the mixture to cool. After the sweet dough has risen and doubled in size it's time to start making the piroshki. Gently cut the sweet dough into 4 pieces. Roll each individual piece out at a time, on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out circle using a round cookie cutter. The size of the cookie cutter is optional. 

Once you've cut out the circle, place a tablespoon of fruit filling in the center in an oblong shape. Cut slits on either side of the filling not to close to filling and not to close to edge. Gently pull out the cut dough edges and twist the dough in your fingers, crossing the twisted piece over and through each other. Pinch to outer base. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

 Keep working on the rest of the dough, to allow the piroshki to rise again. Once you notice the the piroshki have risen (approximately 1/2 hr, the piroshki will be puffy and doubled in size) brush with egg wash. Place in oven at 350 degree Celsius. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from sheet with spatula and let cool on wire rack or clean dish towel. 

How to make Kolachki

After the sweet dough has risen and double in size it's time to make kolachki. Gently cut the sweet dough into 4 pieces, Take each piece and roll gently into a log about 1 inch in diameter. Cut the long shaped dough into 2 inch long pieces. Take one piece at a time, round out into a log shape, gently twist each end opposit each other to create a rope like twist design. Then shape the twisted log up and into a circular shaped design. Tuck the ends in and under, place on a lightly greased baking sheet. 

Keep working on the rest of the dough to allow the kolachki to rise again. Once the kolachki have risen (approximately 1/2 hr, and doubled in size) brush with egg wash. Place in oven at 350 degrees Celsius. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from sheet with spatula and let cool on a wire rack or clean dish towel.

You can use this sweet dough to make so many different sweet baked goodies. Roll the dough out and sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar and walnuts/raisins to make scrumptious cinnamon buns.

 Get creative and make a filling out of your favorite fruit. You can make sweet buns sprinkled with sugar or drizzled with honey.  Once you've master making this sweet dough your on your way. Maybe you have a favorite sweet dough recipe of your own, use it to make these apricot piroshki. The choice and options are endless! Start making some memories in the kitchen with your loved one. 
I once read that Baking involves all the senses - touch, taste, sight, scent and even sound ( ever hear bread crust crackle as it cools?) There are few things more soothing than the aroma of bread baking or the sweet scent of cookies after a long day at school. 

This is the Art of Baking at it's best, right in your own kitchen.

It was a beautiful winter's day today. The snowflakes were so big and fluffy

Your never to old to make a snowman....

Icy beauty.....

Frozen Crabapples.

Thanks for stopping by,

Love Katya