By Ione Bissonnette
“I’m sure that I first had it at a potluck, but have no other recollection about it except that it is easy to make and pretty spectacular to look at, and a wonderful dessert in early spring,” Ione writes. “It has a mysterious quality because it looks as if it is made of uncooked blueberries. In fact, the uncooked, fresh blueberries are added after a first layer of filling has been baked to a gooey mixture that holds the fresh fruit on top. Enjoy!”
Blueberry Kuchen
Serves about 6.
1 cup flour
⅛ tsp. salt
2 rounded Tbsp. sugar
½ cup slightly softened butter (I softened the butter in the microwave the last time I made it to the point that it was melted, and it was easy to work with and came out great, so I am going to do that next time. When salted or unsalted butter is not specified, I have been going with salted lately, because I find a lot of recipes are undersalted.)
1 Tbsp. vinegar
5 cups of washed and dried blueberries divided into 3 and 2 cups (the 3 cups are cooked, the 2 are not)
Topping
2 Tbsp. flour mixed with ⅛ tsp. cinnamon and ⅔ cup sugar (see below)
Mix dry ingredients, cut in butter to coarse crumbs (or just mix in your melted butter).
Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. vinegar. Shape dough with slightly floured fingers; press into 9-inch springform pan so it is about ¼-inch thick on bottom, less thick and 1 inch high on sides. Add 3 cups blueberries.
Mix 2 Tbsp. flour, ⅛ tsp. cinnamon, and ⅔ cups sugar. Sprinkle on top of blueberries. Place the springform pan on an edged cookie sheet in case the butter from the crust leaks out of the bottom. Bake on lowest rack at 400°F for 50 to 60 minutes (crust should be slightly brown, the filling bubbly).
Sprinkle the top of the kuchen with 2 cups uncooked blueberries, cool. Remove sides of pan to serve. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
