Would you like to finish off your meal with a buckle? If you’re like me, you picture yourself chewing on a boiled belt and reply with a resounding, “No, thank you!”
We’d probably view the invitation with more enthusiasm if we knew that early American fruit desserts have notably unappealing names and that the buckle in question is actually a tender yellow cake baked with a slurry of fresh, sweetened blueberries.
This recipe is a variation of one from Gourmet Magazine that is adjusted for altitudes between 8,000 and 10,000 feet.
Blueberry Buckle
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar, preferably Baker’s
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and dried
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter plus more for pan
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, with a rack in the center position. Grease the pan with softened butter or a vegetable oil spray. Assemble the required ingredients. Melt the unsalted butter and set it aside. Add 1/3 cup of sugar, the water, lemon juice and cornstarch to a medium saucepan and whisk to combine them well. Gently stir in the blueberries with a silicone spatula.
Place the pan on medium-low heat and bring the berry mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently. Simmer for about four minutes, until the juices are thickened by the cornstarch and some of the berries soften. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside. Add the flour, the baking powder and the salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine them well. In another mixing bowl, whisk the egg, milk, and melted butter until blended. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and whisk or stir just until they are just combined. Don’t overbeat; the batter doesn’t have to be completely smooth.
Scrape the batter into the prepared 8-by-8-inch square pan with sides at least 2 inches high, and pour the blueberry mixture evenly over it. Bake until the cake rises through the berries, turns a golden color, and a knife inserted in it comes out clean of cake batter. This takes from 28 to 35 minutes.
Cool the buckle on a rack for at least ten minutes before serving it with ice cream. The dessert can be cooled completely and reheated later in the day in a 300-degree oven until warm to the touch.
(This recipe was adapted by Vera Dawson, chef instructor at Colorado Mountain College’s Culinary Institute.)
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While this batter cooked in a skillet may resemble a pancake, the taste is all muffin. Top the cakes with cinnamon sugar and it caramelizes beautifully when you flip them.
SKILLET BLUEBERRY
MUFFIN PANCAKES
For the muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
For the topping:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and lemon zest. In a separate bowl or 2-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg, oil and vanilla. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry, then stir just until a batter forms. Gently stir in the blueberries. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Heat a large skillet over medium. Coat the skillet with cooking spray, reduce heat to low, then ladle batter into the skillet, using about 1/4 to 1/3 cup per muffin. Do not crowd the pan, as the muffins will spread. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a bit of the topping. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until risen and browned on the bottom. Use a spatula to flip and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Makes four servings.