Blueberry Dumplings
There are so many ways Southerners bake with fresh fruit. Pies and cobblers are probably the most commonly known. But these lightly sweet little cake-like pastry dumplings with a wisp of cinnamon, cooked up in a thick blueberry compote is an utterly delightful way to showcase of these luscious summer berries.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Medium saucepan or small stockpot
Ingredients
- For the dumplings:
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
- ½ cup cold butter, cut into pieces
- ¼ cup half and half
- For the blueberry compote:
- 2 pints fresh blueberries, 4 cups, rinsed (frozen will work in a pinch!)
- 1-½ cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
Instructions
- For the dumplings:
- In a food processor add the flour, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, and ½ cinnamon*.
- Add the cold butter and pulse about 8 to 10 times or until the butter is blended in and the bits are about the size of small peas.
- Pour the half and half over the top of the flour-butter mixture and pulse about 8 times until the dough begins to gather into a ball.
- For the blueberry compote:
- Place the blueberries in a large saucepan or small stockpot along with 1-½ cups sugar, water, and the almond extract. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved, then raise the heat to medium.
- Once the mixture begins to gently boil drop the dough by the spoonful into the blueberry mixture. Using a medium ice cream scoop works well.
- Cover and cook for 25 minutes leaving the lid on the entire length of cooking time.
- After 25 minutes, check one of the dumplings to make certain it has cooked through and is light and fluffy inside.
- Serve warm with a scoop vanilla ice cream.
Notes
*The cinnamon will add a note of color to your dumplings. If you like a stronger note of cinnamon use the full teaspoon. Or if you prefer, you can leave it out entirely.
You can make the blueberry compote in advance, cooking until the sugar has dissolved. Then when you're ready to cook the dumplings, bring the mixture to a gentle boil and you're ready to cook the dumplings.