Social Kitchen

If I happened to be savvy with my words, I wouldn’t call one of these desserts a Blueberry Brown Betty, but rather an Easy-Peesy Blueberry Mini Openfaced Pie-Tart.  Yes, well, alas, Betties, they are.

But they really are insanely easy!  And almost completely unexpectedly easy.  Which is just so much better than knowing how easy these are going to be before you go into it.  So, here we are and I’m sorry to have burst your bubble.

But try these, with any fruit you want.  Because besides the fruit, you may already have all of the ingredients in your household.  Because, if I haven’t already mentioned it, these babies are easy to make.  And they are just so tasty.  Right out of the oven, and a couple hours later at room temperature, and toasted the next day.  These mini pies are tart from the fruit with a delicately sweetened filing, and they showcase just how awesome summer (and its produce!) is.  Delicious.

And the last best thing about this (besides the ease and the taste, of course), is when you serve it to your friends and they comment on how yummy and unique the “crust” is.  That’s when you silently laugh inside and think about how you just rolled out white sandwich bread as the crust, and your friends just don’t have a clue.  Trust me, that’s the last best thing.  You will see.

Blueberry Brown Betty (adapted from here)

1 stick unsalted butter

3 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

9 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup panko

2 cups blueberries

powdered sugar, for serving

Brown the butter: Place the stick of butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat.  Keeping an eye on it, watch as the butter melts, foams, clears and then begins to brown and smell almost nutty.  It will take about 5-7 minutes.  Take off heat.

Make filling: Mix together the panko, salt, lemon zest, and brown sugar.  Add blueberries and toss to coat.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350.  Using a brush, butter 9 muffin cups of a muffin tin.

Roll out each piece of bread until completely flat.  Brush each side of bread with browned butter and sprinkle each side with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Gently fit it into the muffin tin.  Repeat with the remaining slices of bread.

Pour the remaining butter into the blueberry mixture.  Stir to combine.

Evenly distribute filling into each of the bread cups.  Cover pan with aluminum foil.  Bake for 20 minutes with the foil on.  Take foil off and bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Let sit in pan for about 10 minutes before unmolding.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

This entry was posted on July 21, 2011 at 9:20 am and is filed under fruit, pies and tarts, sweet, Uncategorized.