(A gift from PJ's friend, "Nonny")
When I was searching for something to do with a box of fresh blueberries about to spoil, I e-mailed my KAF "bud", PJ, and asked her if she had any recipes (silly question!). She contacted her good friend "Nonny" in Maine and this is what she sent me. Everyone in the Baking Circle is going crazy over it. This is the yummiest blueberry confection you've ever tasted! I promise!
NOTE: This is a very delicate, sweet almost mooshy quick bread. The ending result will not resemble most other heavier quickbreads, and will cut and taste better after sitting a few hours. Varying the recipe, either liquid or dry ingredients, will alter the consistency of the finished product and could be either too moist as in a pudding consistency or heavy and tough.
Yields 1 9x5 loaf or three 6x3 loaves
2 cups all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons
* 1-12 teaspoons lemon zest, or 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil can be substituted. If substituting lemon juice, put the juice of 1/2 fresh lemon first into the 1-cup measuring cup, then add the milk to equal 1 cup.
** Depending on the size of the blueberries, 1 pint may amount to as little as 1cup if very small and almost 2 cups if very large. I use them all, reagrdless of their size.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan or three 6x3 mini-pans.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a colander, rinse the berries under cold running water and shake briskly to remove as much excess water as possible. Using a large spatula, add the berries to the dry ingredients (adfd the nuts here if using); fold and mix until berries are completely coated.
In a small bowl or large measuring cup, add the milk, eggs and oil and whisk to mix well. Add to the dry ingredients and mix gently until just moistened but completely hydrated (be careful not to overmix).
Transfer mixture to prepared pan(s). Bake large loaf 50-55 minutes, smaller loaves 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan 15 minutes; turn out of the pan and cool compltely on a rack before cutting.
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon powder * -- optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint fresh blueberries **
1/2 cup chopped nuts of choice -- optional
1 cup milk
2 large eggs -- beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable oil