July 3, 2008

Blueberry Coconut Pound Cake


I have been craving desserts with fruits for a couple of days now, but not something warm as a cobbler, nor sorbet. So yesterday I looked for a recipe for blueberry muffins and found one for a pound cake on epicurious from Gourmet magazine - May 2000.
Last night, once again pretty late, I started making this and I am happy to say this is a keeper. Clara loves blueberries and eats them untill she has tummy aches, so this morning she had about 4 slices for breakfast with milk and gave two thumbs up.
I made a double batch (got 4 mini loaves) to take with us for the weekend at Big Bear ( ta-ra-ta-ta, cannot wait for this mini-vacation) and made only these changes to the recipe - since it was double, I used 2 teaspoons orange zest and 2 teaspoons lemon zest, added one teaspoon vanilla and used 2% milk instead of heavy cream.
Looking at the photo from Gourmet, I realize I should have put more coconut flakes on top, but otherwise, this is just blueberry heaven.

Individual Blueberry Coconut Pound Cakes

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange/ lemon/ lime zest
2 large eggs
5 tablespoons milk (the original recipe asks for heavy cream)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°F and coat with butter and flour 2 mini loaf pans/ one full size or as the original link says 9 (1/2-cup) muffin cups. If nonstick, just butter the pans. I used the rectangular paper pans, so I skipped this step.
Beat together butter, sugar, and zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then in order milk/cream, flour and salt, on low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut, then very gently stir in blueberries, using a spoon or spatula so your batter won't "bleed".
Pour batter into the pans/cups and smooth tops. Sprinkle the rest of the coconut flakes over the top.
Bake in middle of oven until a toothpick comes out clean and edges are golden brown, about 25 minutes (mine took about 27-28). Take it out from the pan and let it cool on a rack.
Chec cu blueberries si nuca de cocos
(Blueberries sunt un fel de afine mai mari)
115 g unt la temp. camerei
150 g zahar tos
2 lingurite coaja de lamaie, portocala sau limeta
1/2 lingurita esenta de vanilie
2 oua
5 linguri lapte ( reteta originala are smantana dulce lichida)
125 g faina
1/4 linguritza sare
1/2 ceasca fulgi nuca de cocos + 3 linguri pt. pus deasupra
1/2 ceasca blueberries/afine
Se incalzeste cuptorul la 175C(350F) si se tapeteaza formele cu unt si faina, sau daca sunt neaderente, doar cu unt. In linkul pt. reteta checul a fost copt in forme de muffins, dar se poate folosi fie o forma de chec mare sau din cele individuale mai mici, sau forme de hartie -eu am avut din cele dreptunghiulare.
Se freaca untul, zaharul, vanilia si coaja de lamaie/portocala pana se obtine o crema spumoasa, apoi se adauga in ordine ouale unul cate unul, urmand laptele, faina si sarea. Se bat cu mixerul la viteza mica numai cat sa fie combinate omogen. Se adauga apoi nuca de cocos si afinele, amestecandu-se foarte usor cu o lingura sau spatula ca sa nu se striveasca si sa pateze coca.
Se pune aluatul in forme, se netezeste pe deasupra si se presara cu restul de nuca de cocos.
Se coace timp de cca 25 minute, pana sunt aurii si o scobitoare iese curata. Se scot din forma si se lasa la racit pe un gratar.

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