A Piece of Cake: Tried and True Recipes for the Home Cook

Here is a great dessert for a crowd or as part of a dessert buffet.  It easily serves 10-12 and is simply outstanding.  You will need a 9-inch spring form pan and it can be made at least 2 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.  You will be left with 4 egg whites that you can use for an egg white omelet when you get back to dieting!

BLUEBERRY SOUR CREAM TORTE

Pre-baked pastry:

1 3/4-Cups all-purpose flour

1/3-Cup Sugar

1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut in pieces (12 tablespoons)

2 egg yolks

1/8-teaspoon salt

Filling:

4-cups blueberries (I have used flash frozen blueberries in the winter but prefer fresh)

1/2-cup sugar

1/4-cup quick-cooking tapioca (Minute brand found in Jell-O/Pudding section)

1/2-teaspoon grated lemon peel

3/4-teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8-teaspoon ground nutmeg

Sour Cream Topping

2 egg yolks

2 Cups sour cream

1/2-Cup sugar

1 1/2-teaspoons real vanilla extract

Put the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor with the metal blade. Add cold cut up butter and pulse until crumbly.  Add egg yolks and pulse until dough holds together and forms a ball. Take two thirds of the dough and press onto the bottom of the 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes, remove from the oven and cool. NOW take the remaining dough and press about an inch and a half up the sides; you may not use up all the dough.  If you have over worked the dough and it is too soft/warm just refrigerate for a few minutes. You might find it a help to press the dough into the pan with the bottom of a measuring cup.  Set pan aside and make blueberry filling.

In a medium saucepan combine all “filling” ingredients, let stand 15 minutes to start the juices flowing and then cook on medium heat, stirring until mixture reaches a full rolling boil. Remove from heat, cool slightly and pour into pastry. Mix all the topping ingredients and SPOON over blueberries.  Spread gently with the back of a spoon to cover the berry mixture as much as possible. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.  Cool completely, run a knife around the edges or easy removal when chilled and ready to serve.

I will be happy to send you my weekly recipes via email just contact me at apieceofcake@optonline.net  On the Web at www.patokeefe.net. Website now has over 100 recipes with more added daily. Need a past recipe or have a question, I will do my best to help, just email me. ENJOY!