When  blueberry season arrives folks ask me for my fairy fine recipe for yummy Blueberry Yogurt Bars. As August approaches there are plenty of fresh blueberries to be had here in Maine.

Remember you can certainly use frozen berries if you do not have fresh and have the same results.

Mid July through August are the months for harvesting blueberries here on Blue Fairy Hill. The fields are bountiful with berries and glimmers of fairy dust attest to the hard working Fairy Folk who help to sweeten berries here on our farm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blueberry fields or barrens as they are called, are covered with ripe fairy sweetened organic blueberries every other August much to everyone’s delight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friends and neighbors gather together to harvest nature’s bounty of sweet satisfaction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Low bush blueberries are rather small and very sweet tasting. They grow on rocky ledges in wide open spaces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blueberries may be picked by hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or they are picked with large metal rakes like these children are using, which allows you to collect berries faster than when hand picking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

However you decide to harvest blueberries the important thing is that you enjoy the process and take in the beauty of nature all around you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Maine blueberries generally grow on high rocky land which offers you spectacular views while you pick.

 

 

 

 

 

I prefer picking berries by hand or using a small wooden blueberry rake which Sampson the Troll made for me over 40 years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After these children gather containers full of blueberries they will take them home for their Mothers who will use them for baking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below is a recipe the Home Place Fairies shared with me. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BLUE FAIRY HILL YOGURT BARS

Preheat your oven to 350

Line a 9 x 13″ baking pan with aluminum foil.

Lightly spray foiled pan evenly with oil and set aside.

Next make a crumble for your bottom crust and topping as follows.

BOTTOM CRUST and CRUMBLE TOPPING

1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar packed

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

pinch of salt

1. In large bowl whisk melted butter with sugars to combine.

2. Add flour, pinch of salt stir to combine. Mixture will be dry and crumbly. Set aside 3/4 cup of this mixture to use later as topping.

3. Transfer remaining mixture into oiled pan. With your fingers hand pack, pressing the mixture to create a thin, even, flat crust. Set aside.

YOGURT FILLING

1 large egg at room temperature

1/2 cup Greek  Yogurt at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tablespoon all purpose flour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. In medium bowl add egg and Greek Yogurt, sugar and vanilla. Whisk together well.

2. Add the Tablespoon of flour and whisk again.

3. Pour this yogurt filling evenly over the crust spreading with rubber spatula.

Set aside.

BLUEBERRY LAYER

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 handful finely chopped walnuts (optional)

1/4 cup sunflower seeds (optional)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. In separate bowl toss in blueberries, sprinkle with the sugar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and gently mix to combine.

2. Evenly spread blueberry mixture on top of yogurt filling. (Then if you choose toss on some chopped walnuts and sunflower seeds. (Fairies love seeds and nuts and so do I)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Next take your reserved 3/4 cup of the crumble/crust mix and evenly sprinkle on top. Gently squeeze the crumbs through your fingers as you spread over filling. I sprinkle some fresh blueberries on the crust.

4. Place pan on middle rack in preheated 350 oven and bake for about 40 minute for fresh berries and 50 minutes for frozen blueberries. Baking is complete when crust has turned a nice golden brown and berries have bubbled.

5. Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack and let cool completely. Then set pan in fridge to cool firmly before cutting into bars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. After cooling in the fridge for about 30 minutes I lift the foiled dessert in it’s entirety from the pan and carefully remove the foil from the large “blueberry bar” and set dessert on cutting board and cut into small bars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Now you can cut the bars into small pieces without them crumbling and falling apart.

Blueberry Yogurt Bars may be stored in your refrigerator for up to 10 days, though they don’t last that long in our house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve your Blue Berry Yogurt Bars plain and simple or with some fresh blueberries and a sprig of mint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also taste good with a dab of whipped cream, or scoop of ice cream. Oh, if you happen to know some Fairy Folk like I happen to you can even add a dash of Fairy Dust! Yum, magically delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!