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Lots of great ways to eat blueberries

It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's blueberry season. Pick your own, or buy them at Market Square or from roadside vendors along Highway 69  or Highway 17.
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The Blueberry Festival in Greater Sudbury starts July 16.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's blueberry season. Pick your own, or buy them at Market Square or from roadside vendors along Highway 69  or Highway 17.


The Blueberry Festival starts next week with lots of great activities planned. In the meantime, enjoy these classic recipes.

Blueberry Freezer Jam

Makes about five 1 cup (250 mL) jars. From start to finish, this delicious small batch of jam can be ready to enjoy in 30 minutes.


In a large bowl crush blueberries to measure four cups (1 L). Stir in 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) of sugar. Let stand 15 minutes. Stirring constantly, gradually add one 45 g pouch of freezer jam pectin to the berries and stir three minutes longer. Let stand five minutes. Stir in 2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon peel. Ladle into five 1-cup (250 mL) mason jars, leaving 1/2-inch (1 cm) headspace, apply lids. Refrigerate up to three weeks or freeze up to one year.

Instead of blueberries any fully ripe berries or tender fruit can be used.

Fresh Berry Pavlova

Light as a cloud Pavlova filled with the berries of an Ontario summer is a dessert to grace the most elegant meal. You can make the Pavlova a day ahead and fill with cream and fruit just before serving. For a guide in shaping a perfect circle, use the base of a 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan or 10 inch (25 cm) flan tin.

Preparation time: 25 to 30 minutes


Baking time: two hours or up to a half an hour longer.

Serves six to eight

1 cup (250 mL)  granulated sugar
4 tsp (20 mL)  cornstarch
1/4 tsp (1 mL)  salt
4 egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp (10 mL)  white vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL)  raspberry schnapps or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) almond extract

Filling:  
1 cup (250 mL) strawberries, halved
1 cup (250 mL) raspberries
1 cup (250 mL) blueberries or blackberries 
1 cup (250 mL)  whipping cream
1 tbsp (15 mL)  raspberry schnapps or 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
 Fruit sugar

Line base of nine-inch (23 cm) springform pan with 12-inch circle of baking parchment or foil, shiny side down. Tuck under edges of parchment or foil.

Combine 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the sugar with cornstarch and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat egg whites at medium speed until a mass of fine bubbles forms. Add vinegar and beat at medium speed until soft, moist peaks form when beaters are lifted (the tips of peaks should droop down).

Gradually beat in remaining sugar, adding it in a fine, steady stream. Increase speed and beat until meringue is stiff enough to hold ridge marks from beaters and is glossy. Fold in cornstarch mixture, then schnapps.

Turn meringue out onto prepared pan. With spatula or back of large metal spoon, and keeping just within edge of pan, shape meringue into circle, indenting middle and leaving sides about two inch (five cm) in height and width.

Slide onto baking sheet. Bake at centre of 250°F (120°C) oven for two to two and a half hours or until firm and dry.

Cool completely on cake rack before removing from pan. Carefully peel off paper. If making ahead, allow to cool for three or four hours, then store in airtight container.

Filling:

Whip cream until stiff; fold in schnapps. Just before serving, fill Pavlova centre with cream. Arrange strawberries around edge of cream. Scatter raspberries and blueberries over cream. Sift a light dusting of fruit sugar over berries.
Recipes from Foodland Ontario.


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