Blueberry Cookie Cake

Blueberry Cookie Cake

An heirloom family recipe that has been in our family for decades.  It's so simple, it's perfect for those 
lazy or hectic summer days.  It can be set up even the night before, wrapped and refrigerated to be baked off the following day.  Even frozen, can be baked off with an extended cooking time of five minutes.  Wonderful by itself, or with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream.  I've found it appeals to all ages.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1  stick soft butter, cut into four pieces.

1/2 cup sugar + 1/4 cup (topping)

2 eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature (1 for topping)

1/4 teaspoon of fine salt

2 cups of Blueberries, or 8 oz container (rinsed & dried)

optional:  zest of one orange

Directions

Preheat oven to 325.  Grease and flour a 9-10 inch x 12-13 inch cookie sheet.  I use a 10 x 13, but if your cookie sheet is smaller, it will be just fine.

Mix flour, butter, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt, zest of an orange if using, together in a medium sized bowl with a fork. Switch to a rubber spatula pressing the dough together, and folding the dough. With clean hands bring the dough together creating a ball.  Knead a few times to achieve a cohesive ball.

Next you will press dough onto a small jelly roll pan that is greased and floured.  Press using the heal of your hands applying gentle pressure.  Be patient, it takes time to stretch the dough out to the edges of the pan.  Once your dough completely fills the pan, it time for the berries. Simply scatter the berries, over the top of the dough.

The topping is simply one beaten egg with 1/4 cup of sugar.  Whisk these two ingredients together with a fork.  Now, just drizzle the topping over the blueberries.  

Bake for 35-40 minutes, just until you begin to see browning.

When cool, cut into large squares to enjoy!

Options:  You can certainly substitute the fruit.  As you see in the recipe, my grandmother used apples.  If you do it with apples, slice them thinly, and toss with a little orange or lemon juice to prevent discoloration.  You can add some fresh nutmeg as well, 1/4 teaspoon.  You want to line up the fruit rather than scatter it over the dough.  Any type of stone fruit works wonderful with this recipe.  Be creative and seasonal.