Ingredient: lime zest for garnish

Lime-Blueberry Cream Bars

Today, March 28th, marks the date of my mothers birth. Although she left this earth 45 years ago, her memory remains crystal clear. Losing your mother is an inevitable part of our life. We know it will come around but we are never prepared. The thing is, mothers never really leave – they are there inside of you, guiding you for evermore.

When this date rolls around each year, I like to post something on the blog that I think she would have enjoyed to make. Baking was a ‘job’ she really seemed to enjoy and our family certainly reaped the benefits of that.

Initially I was planning to make some mini raspberry Dutch Baby desserts. But then I started thinking about maybe something citrusy….

The tartness of a lime curd paired with the sweetness of blueberries is a tried-and-true flavor combination. You get a taste so fresh and cheerful it really is a message that spring is here and summer is around the corner.

North American blueberries are at their peak from mid-June through mid-August, but this wonderful fruit can be found fresh at any time. Blueberries are the sweet taste of every season.

To enhance the blueberry flavor and color even more in this recipe, I used some ‘blueberry emulsion’. It gives the whipped cream a real nice blueberry flavor.

The bright, fresh promise of summer… blueberry and lime. Such a classic combination.

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 Lime-Blueberry Cream Bars
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword lime-blueberry meringue shortcakes
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread Pastry
Lime Curd
Blueberries
Glaze
Blueberry Cream
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword lime-blueberry meringue shortcakes
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread Pastry
Lime Curd
Blueberries
Glaze
Blueberry Cream
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a bowl, combine butter & sugar, beat until light & fluffy. Mix in flour & baking powder; blend together. Chill dough for about 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  3. Pat into a 14 X 4-inch baking pan. Bake until golden about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven & cool.
Glaze
  1. In a small pot, combine all glaze ingredients & stir well. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down & gently simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
Blueberry Cream
  1. Whip cream with sugar & blueberry emulsion until it forms stiff peaks. Place in a pastry bag with a star tip. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
Assembly
  1. Spread lime curd evenly over bottom of pastry then slice into 8 'bars'. (I like to slice it at this point rather than after it is filled with blueberries so it presents a 'cleaner' cut look).
  2. Gently fold fresh blueberries into the glaze. Cover each bar with about 3 rows of glazed blueberries.
  3. Top the blueberries with a generous swirl of blueberry cream & sprinkle with lime zest.

Blackberry & Lime Curd Cupcakes

CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY!

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, many special memories come to mind. This day is our time to reflect and show gratitude to the women and mother’s who have been mentors and caregivers; ultimately those who have helped to shape us into who we are today.

This blog is especially to honor: the special memories of my mother for her endless giving of selfless love – my mother-in-law, Dolores, for her kind ways and raising that ‘special’ man I love sharing my life with – to my sisters, who have given so much of themselves to be such great moms.

Spring is here and although the pandemic keeps us close to home, it doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate Mother’s Day as well as one of the most ‘fruitful’ seasons of the year by baking something special.

The focus on food shifts to lighter recipes with fresh flavors and colors. Simple ingredient additions or substitutions can make spring and summer desserts stand out. Lime gives sweet dishes more complexity, adding a tart note. Substituting refined sugar with honey or maple syrup changes the texture and sweetness. If you have a recipe in mind and want to give it a spring touch, replacing the main ingredient with a seasonal fruit can be quite effective.

I love fruit curds as they differ from jam by having less sugar. Curd is a sort of cream or custard. The most famous is the lemon curd, although it can be made of orange, grapefruit, tangerine, passion fruit and of course lime. Curd is neither too runny nor thick; it is pourable when hot and soft once cooled. It can be used as a filling for tarts, as a spread for scones or toast or inside cakes or muffins.

I think blackberry lime cupcakes are the epitome of fresh flavor not to mention the beautiful visual presentation. Although lime curd can be purchased readily, preparing your own homemade version is not hard but does take a bit of time.

Print Recipe
 Blackberry & Lime Curd Cupcakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine American
Keyword blackberry & lime curd cupcakes
Servings
Ingredients
Cupcakes
Lime Whip Topping
Cuisine American
Keyword blackberry & lime curd cupcakes
Servings
Ingredients
Cupcakes
Lime Whip Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 8 muffin cups with paper baking cups.
  2. In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, yogurt, honey, milk, butter & lime zest; mix well. Let stand for 10 minutes then stir in egg whites until blended.
  3. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt; mix well. Add to oat mixture all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (do not overmix).
  4. Place a spoonful of the batter in each cup. Top with a small dollop each of blackberry preserve & lime curd. Divide remaining batter between the 8 cups.
  5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool cupcakes in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan & cool completely.
Lime Whip Topping
  1. Prepare as directed on pkg envelope, being sure to measure your lime juice in with the milk (omit the vanilla).
Recipe Notes
  • I had originally though I would top these cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting but thinking they might be too sweet, I went with the lime whip topping instead.