BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE COFFEE CAKE

Don’t tell the other berries, but blueberries are my favorite. I’m a big fan of both their flavor and texture. I can get a bit weird about the texture of other berries. It’s a long-standing thing that I stopped trying to rationalize a long time ago. Anyway, last week, I was very excited when I picked up a big box of beautiful fresh blueberries from our CSA.

Of course, I think blueberries and cream cheese are a pretty perfect match. Combine that in a coffee cake, and I knew I had to bake this sooner rather than later. I love coffee cakes. They are so versatile. This particular one is great for brunch, an afternoon treat, as well as a lovely summer dessert.

The combination of flavors is really quite exceptional. The cake is soft and buttery. The cream cheese layer is not overly sweet, which lets the tartness of the cream cheese come through. Then, of course the blueberries offer a big burst of flavor. The almond topping adds a nice crunch. With the layers staggered a bit over the cake, each bite is just a bit different.

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE BLUEBERRY TOPPING:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons water, divided
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

FOR THE CAKE:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE TOPPING AND ASSEMBLY:

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS:
TO MAKE THE BLUEBERRY TOPPING:

1. Combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup water, and lemon juice in a 1- to 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils. Lower heat and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally. Simmer until the blueberries have split and released their juices (about 3 minutes).
2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water. Add to the blueberry mixture. Stir until thickened (about 1 minute).
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
4. ...................................

for full recipes please see : bakeorbreak.com

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