Single Serving Apple and Blueberry Desserts
My pantry is rather sparse in terms of dessert ingredients, other than the basics. And my fruit crisper drawer is limited to a few apples (Red Delicious), so when I was planning on a seasonal fruit-based dessert for Thanksgiving (I don't like pumpkin), the pickings were slim.
I decided on a single serving dessert that could be made and served in a cup sized ramekin.
I was intrigued by two possibilities and, rather than decide, I made them both. I included blueberries from the freezer in the apple crumble for colour and bit of extra flavour. The original apple crumble dessert recipe also used rhubarb.
Blueberry Pudding Cake
Blueberry Pudding Cake - serves 1
Blueberry Base
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries*
1 tsp lemon juice
* If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw.
Cake
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tbsp sugar**
2 1/2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp melted butter or margarine
** I tried 2 tbsp and thought it needed a bit more sugar next time.
Topping
1 tsp cornstarch
2 - 2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
Preheat the oven to 350 deg Fahrenheit.
Use a ramekin that holds a bit more than 1 cup. Place onto a baking sheet for ease of transport and in case of boil overs.
Place the blueberries in the bottom of the ramekin and sprinkle the lemon juice over the top. Stir a bit to coat the blueberries.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and sugar. Stir to combine. Add the milk and melted butter and stir until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Gently spoon the cake batter in a layer over the top of the blueberries.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Spoon evenly over the top of the cake batter.
Carefully pour the boiling water over the top, then place the baking sheet with the ramekin on it into the oven. (NOTE: This was the tricky bit for me as the water threatened to overflow the ramekin. I had to pour some water in, wait for it to trickle down through the edges of the batter and into the blueberries below, finding any available spaces, before adding some more. There was a bit of overflow during baking, making the baking sheet underneath a smart idea.)
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or pouring custard/Creme Anglaise.
Apple-Blueberry Crumble
Apple and Blueberry Crumble - serves 1
Filling
1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 tbsp blueberries
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
Crumble
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp rolled oats or sliced almonds*
2-3 tbsp sugar
* I didn't have any rolled oats in the pantry so I added the almonds for texture and bulk.
Preheat the oven to 350-360 deg F/180°C. Lightly oil a 1 cup ramekin with a neutral tasting oil like canola. Place the ramekin onto a baking sheet for ease of transport and in case of boil overs.
Place the prepared apple and blueberries in a bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the top of the fruit; add the brown sugar and stir through. Place the fruit into the ramekin, packing down a bit as needed.
Place the flour, butter, sugar and oats in a medium bowl. Use your fingers or a fork, rub in the butter until it's well combined and large crumbs form.
Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping is golden and bubbling.
Serve with sweetened whipped cream, ice cream or pouring custard/Creme Anglaise.
I decided on a single serving dessert that could be made and served in a cup sized ramekin.
I was intrigued by two possibilities and, rather than decide, I made them both. I included blueberries from the freezer in the apple crumble for colour and bit of extra flavour. The original apple crumble dessert recipe also used rhubarb.
Blueberry Pudding Cake
Blueberry Pudding Cake - serves 1
Blueberry Base
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries*
1 tsp lemon juice
* If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw.
Cake
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tbsp sugar**
2 1/2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp melted butter or margarine
** I tried 2 tbsp and thought it needed a bit more sugar next time.
Topping
1 tsp cornstarch
2 - 2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
Preheat the oven to 350 deg Fahrenheit.
Use a ramekin that holds a bit more than 1 cup. Place onto a baking sheet for ease of transport and in case of boil overs.
Place the blueberries in the bottom of the ramekin and sprinkle the lemon juice over the top. Stir a bit to coat the blueberries.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and sugar. Stir to combine. Add the milk and melted butter and stir until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Gently spoon the cake batter in a layer over the top of the blueberries.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Spoon evenly over the top of the cake batter.
Carefully pour the boiling water over the top, then place the baking sheet with the ramekin on it into the oven. (NOTE: This was the tricky bit for me as the water threatened to overflow the ramekin. I had to pour some water in, wait for it to trickle down through the edges of the batter and into the blueberries below, finding any available spaces, before adding some more. There was a bit of overflow during baking, making the baking sheet underneath a smart idea.)
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or pouring custard/Creme Anglaise.
Apple-Blueberry Crumble
Apple and Blueberry Crumble - serves 1
Filling
1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 tbsp blueberries
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
Crumble
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp rolled oats or sliced almonds*
2-3 tbsp sugar
* I didn't have any rolled oats in the pantry so I added the almonds for texture and bulk.
Preheat the oven to 350-360 deg F/180°C. Lightly oil a 1 cup ramekin with a neutral tasting oil like canola. Place the ramekin onto a baking sheet for ease of transport and in case of boil overs.
Place the prepared apple and blueberries in a bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the top of the fruit; add the brown sugar and stir through. Place the fruit into the ramekin, packing down a bit as needed.
Place the flour, butter, sugar and oats in a medium bowl. Use your fingers or a fork, rub in the butter until it's well combined and large crumbs form.
Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping is golden and bubbling.
Serve with sweetened whipped cream, ice cream or pouring custard/Creme Anglaise.