Best Dessert Recipes for Fresh Blueberries

There are few things out there as good as fresh blueberries. Whether you’ve picked them yourself or bought them at a roadside stand, blueberry festival, Farmer’s Market or grocery store, you want to enjoy a dessert with the full, delectable flavor of fresh blueberries. The best way to do that is with the following recipes.

 

Simple Fresh Blueberry Recipes

The easiest thing to do to enjoy fresh blueberries is to add them to a dish in their raw state. Don’t wash them until you plan to use them. Try the following easy recipes for enjoying fresh, raw blueberries.

Blueberries and Cream

This recipe is simple, and it’s one that has been enjoyed throughout the ages as a tasty way to enjoy the goodness of blueberries.

Ingredients

-Fresh blueberries

-Chilled cream

Direction

1. Wash blueberries and pat dry.
2. Mix ingredients in a bowl.
3. Enjoy.

Blueberry Shortcake

This savory recipe can work for both a casual backyard barbecue or a dessert at a fancy dinner. Need to save time? Buy shortcake and/or whipped cream and rely on the fresh blueberries to really shine. If you have the time, make it all from scratch.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1-¼ cups heavy (whipping) cream
• 1 tablespoon melted butter (optional)
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1⁄3 cup blueberry or other fruit jelly
• ¾ cup sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonfat cooking spray
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
4. Stir in cream to form a dough
5. Pat dough evenly on the bottom of the pan
6. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 18 minutes
7. If desired, brush the top with butter after 15 minutes
8. Cool shortcake slightly
9. Cut in six rectangles
10. Cut each one diagonally in half
11. In a microwaveable bowl, combine berries and jelly
12. Microwave on high until jelly melts, about 45 seconds
13. To serve: Place one triangle on each dessert plate
14. Top triangles with two-thirds of the berries and the whipped cream, dividing equally
15. Prop remaining triangles on top
16. Add the remaining whipped cream and berries

Number of servings (yield): 6

Recipe and photo courtesy of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Blueberry Lemon Parfait

This parfait looks and tastes like a million dollars, but it’s super simple to put together.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups vanilla Greek-style yogurt
• ¾ cups lemon curd
• 12 gingersnap cookies, crushed
• 2 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl combine yogurt and lemon curd. In a parfait glass layer ¼ cup yogurt mixture, 1 heaping tablespoon cookie crumbs and 1 heaping tablespoon blueberries. Repeat. Top with ¼ cup yogurt mixture and a heaping tablespoon blueberries.
2. Repeat in 3 more parfait glasses.
3. Parfaits can be chilled in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.

Number of servings (yield): 4 Parfaits

Recipe and photo courtesy of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Intricate Fresh Blueberry Recipes

If you’re looking for something more involved in the kitchen, try the following dessert recipes using fresh blueberries.

Blueberries with Oat Crisps and Crème Fraiche

With an epicurean twist on the elements that make blueberry shortcake a beloved dish, this dessert is delectable and impressive.

Ingredients

• 2-½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 pints blueberries, fresh
• 1 cup crème fraîche

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
3. In a bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and corn syrup and stir until blended
4. Stir in the oats, mixing well
5. To form the crisps, drop the oats mixture by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2-½ inches apart
6. Bake, rotating the baking sheets 180 degrees at the midway point, until golden brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes
7. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets
8. With a metal spatula, transfer the crisps to a large flat plate to cool
9. To serve, divide the blueberries and crème fraîche among individual dessert plates and place 2 oat crisps alongside or on top of each serving

Number of servings (yield): 6

Recipe and photo courtesy of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Panna Cotta Fage with Blueberry-Agave Nectar Sauce and Toasted Coconut

This custard-like dessert pairs tart blueberries with rich dairy and savory coconut for a decadent creation.

Ingredients

• 6 sheets (10g) gold gelatin leaves, or 1 envelope (14g)
• powdered unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (120g) honey
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
• 17.6 ounces (500g) plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups (300g) fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon (20g) agave nectar
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut, lightly toasted

Instructions

1. Place 6 dessert glasses on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Place gelatin leaves in 1/4 cup very cold water, or sprinkle powdered gelatin over 1/4 cup very cold water; let stand to soften, about 15 minutes.
3. In a small saucepan, bring cream, milk, honey, vanilla bean and seeds just to a simmer (do not let it come to a boil).      Remove from heat.
4. Add softened gelatin and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.
5. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pourable container; discard vanilla bean (or rinse and save for use in compotes, sauces, etc.).
6. In medium bowl, whisk yogurt until smooth.
7. Gradually add the warm cream mixture, whisking to combine well. Transfer mixture to a pourable container.
8. Evenly divide mixture into dessert glasses. Cover each glass with plastic wrap and carefully transfer to refrigerator. Let chill until set, 4 to 6 hours.
9. In a bowl, toss blueberries with agave nectar; set aside for 30 minutes.
10. To finish, divide the blueberries on top of panna cotta and garnish with toasted coconut.

Number of servings (yield): 6

Recipe and photo courtesy of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Find more great recipes for using fresh blueberries and frozen blueberries on the Blueberries from Florida website.

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