Blackberry and Goat Cheese Bars

I love seeing all the fresh berries at the market each weekend and have enjoyed baking with blackberries lately, including the peach and blackberry tart I recently made. I could just sit and eat a whole bowl of berries or, better yet, cover them in custard and eat them.

These bars consisted of a shortbread crust, a layer of blackberry jam, and then the fresh berries drenched in a custard made with cream cheese and goat cheese.  I think they're supposed to be for dessert, but they were breakfast for my team meeting one morning. They weren't complaining.

Blackberries are so pretty. Last year, I made little meringue shells for them.

And, then the downpouring of custard.  And, not just any custard, but custard with goat cheese, fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest.

They're so good together.

The finished product...for dessert or breakfast.

Recipe for Blackberry and Goat Cheese Bars

Adapted from a recipe by Scott Peacock in BHG

Ingredients

 

1C. unsalted butter (2 sticks) cut into 1-inch chunks

1/4 C. packed light brown sugar 

1/2 t. salt

2 C. unbleached all-purpose flour

Softened butter (for brushing sides of foil)

1 C. blackberry jam or preserves

1 pint (2 cups) fresh blackberries

1/2 - 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

4 oz. goat cheese

1/2 C. granulated sugar

1 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 T. finely shredded lemon zest

2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 t. pure vanilla

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with a 24-inch-long sheet of aluminum foil, leaving extra foil extending over ends (use these later to lift bars from pan); set aside. In a large bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until it just begins to blend and soften slightly, about 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and salt, beat on low speed until incorporated, 30 seconds to 1 minute. With mixer off, add the 2 cups flour. Beat on low speed until flour is incorporated. Increase speed to medium, mix until ingredients form an even, cohesive dough.
Break dough into small chunks and distribute in prepared pan; with your fingers press dough into an even layer. Bake 20 minutes or until dough has begun to puff and is just set. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes.
Lightly brush exposed sides of foil with softened butter to keep filling from sticking. Spread jam evenly over crust.
Sprinkle evenly with blackberries.
With a lemon zester, remove peel from lemon, making sure to avoid bitter white pith.
In a large bowl beat cream cheese and goat cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Mix in granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon flour until blended. With mixer running, add egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Pour custard batter evenly over berries. Tilt pan back and forth to distribute evenly. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until barely set. Transfer to a wire rack until completely cool, about 1 hour; cover and transfer to refrigerator. Chill 2 hours. Top will crack slightly as it cools.
Use foil to lift the bars from pan. With a knife or metal spatula, support the sides of the bars while you gently peel the foil downward and away from sides of the bars.
Cut into long bars, peel foil from bottom, and transfer to cutting boars using side of a long knife or spatula. Cut into 24 squares

Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Hearts

I love shortbread and have made these little shortbread hearts several times before. I usually make shortbread each Christmas with different dried fruit and nuts, but these are fun for Valentine's Day. This is a Martha Stewart recipe and the shortbread itself is very easy to make.  I chilled it overnight and then let the dough come to room temperature the next day.  I used this fun fluted edge heart cutter that I liked more than the straight edge hearts.

I like to make the cookies nice and thick.  This way they aren't thin and crispy and are nice and soft.  The trick is to roll out the dough to a consistent thickness so they bake evenly.

For the chocolate dipping sauce, you just mix some bittersweet chocolate and canola oil together and melt in a double boiler.  I just dredge the edge of the cookie in the chocolate and let them dry on parchment. 

I didn't even let them dry before I grabbed one to have with a cup of coffee this afternoon. YUM.

Shortbread and Tea

Each Christmas for the last several years, I've made homemade shortbread. It's an icebox shortbread recipe that is very easy, but I've been told that it rivals Walkers. You can make the dough, roll it into a log shape and refrigerate or freeze it and then slice it and bake it later. This year I made cherry, pecan, chocolate and plain shortbread. I've used it to package in cellophane bags or pretty boxes to give as gifts. But, I always keep some extra to have with a nice cup of hot tea. In fact, I just indulged in one of each flavour while I sat in front of the fire with my book and cup of tea. This is one of my favorite china cups in the photo - a toast and tea set that my Auntie Vera in England gave to me a few years ago to add to my collection.