Berry Desserts
Today's desserts are full of berries. Check out the Blueberry Crisp, the Raspberry Chill, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
MASCARPONE BERRY BOWL
This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.
Active Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/mascarpone-berry-bowl-12343050.
Ingredients
1 cup mixed berries, such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries
1 lemon, zested and juiced
5 tablespoons honey
One 8-ounce container mascarpone
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Splash of vanilla extract
Fresh mint leaves, for serving
Biscotti, for serving
Directions
Mix the berries, lemon zest and juice and 2 tablespoons of the honey in a bowl; set aside.
In a separate bowl, add the mascarpone, heavy cream, vanilla and remaining 3 tablespoons honey. Using a hand mixer, whip together until light and fluffy.
Divide the sweetened mascarpone among 4 serving bowls. Use the bottom of a spoon to create a well in the middle of each mascarpone mound. Spoon the berry mixture into each well. Garnish with a sprig of mint on top of the berries and a biscotti on the side.
STRAWBERRY PIE

Several summers ago, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?
Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.

Ingredients
1 quart strawberries
1 C sugar
3 Tablespoons corn start
3/4 cup hot water
1 pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.
Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.
Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!
BLUEBERRY CRISP
This is from Genevieve Ko in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Genevieve wrote, "Fragrant with the sunshine of lemon zest, the crackly almond roof of this summer-in-a-dish dessert gives way to jammy berries begging to be swirled with ice cream. To make this dead simple treat even easier, the crisp topping is simply stirred with melted butter, which binds together the dry ingredients while giving the mixture a sturdiness that holds up against the juicy fruit. Sliced almonds require no chopping and add a delicate crunch, but chopped pecans would be delicious here too, as would pinches of spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom or even black pepper. The topping can be refrigerated for up to 3 days ahead of time. Pro potluck tip: Ask the host if you can use the oven, and if you can, bring the berry mixture in the baking dish and the chilled topping in a separate container. When you arrive, scatter the crumbs over the filling and bake to perfume the house and enjoy a warm dessert."
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "A Summer Dinner Party That’s Actually Fast and Easy", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024462-blueberry-crisp.
Ingredients
For the Topping
1 lemon
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted if you’d like
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the Filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 packed tablespoons cornstarch
2 to 2-1/4 pounds blueberries
Ice cream, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare the topping: Zest the lemon directly over the sugar in a medium bowl and mix with a fork. (Save the zested lemon for the filling.) Mix in the flour, almonds and salt.
The cooled melted butter has likely separated, so stir it until evenly pale yellow, then drizzle over the dry ingredients. Stir lightly and quickly until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbles with gravelly bits; don’t overmix. Refrigerate until ready to use. The topping can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Make the filling: Whisk the sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl to break up starchy clumps. Add the blueberries and squeeze in 1 tablespoon lemon juice from the reserved zested lemon. Toss until evenly coated, then scrape into a 1-1.2- to 2-quart casserole (such as a 9-inch square dish or deep-dish pie plate).
Spread the berry filling in an even layer, then cover with the topping, leaving no gaps. Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.
Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling like lava, 40 to 45 minutes. You don’t want to burn your mouth eating the crisp hot, so let it cool for at least 15 minutes and preferably an hour or so because the filling firms up as it cools. It can be served warm or at room temperature, ideally with ice cream.
CRANBERRY PIE
My dad loved to cook, and usually came up with decent recipes. He sent this one in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.” (It can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking, which will be pulled off and/or drastically improved after the June 1, 2024.)

Note: The pie can be made with either one crust (second photo) or two (top photo). The recipe originally calls for one crust, though.
Ingredients
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Directions
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
Ingredients
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1-1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Directions
Make as above.
BLUEBERRY LATTICE PIE
This is from Molly O’Neill in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Molly wrote, “Here's a showstopper of a summer pie if there ever was one. In this recipe that came to The Times in 1995, a generous pile of blueberries is tossed with sugar, cinnamon and orange zest then baked in a butter-shortening crust until the filling is bubbly and the crust golden brown. Don't be intimidated by the lattice top. Just take your time, and do your best. No matter what it looks like, it'll taste delicious.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
This was featured in “On Blueberry Hill”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9290-blueberry-lattice-pie.
Also, check out “How to Make a Pie Crust,” by Melissa Clark. Very helpful!
Ingredients
The Crust:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
6 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
The Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
6 cups fresh blueberries, cleaned
Preparation
To make the crust, combine the flour, 2 teaspoons of sugar and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually and lightly mix in just enough ice water so the dough can be gently pressed into a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, flour and orange zest. Place the blueberries in a large bowl and toss with the sugar mixture.
Divide the dough in half and roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Place the filling in the dish. Roll out the remaining dough, cut 1/2-inch-wide strips and weave into a lattice top. Seal, trim and crimp the edges. Brush the top pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle it with the remaining sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 and bake until crust is browned and filling is set, about 20 minutes longer. Cool on a rack. Cut into wedges and serve.
RASPBERRY CHILL
This is from the May, 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 26. It begins, "This snappy, user-friendly recipe comes together in just minutes, providing a cooling bite for a heated main course. To gild the lily, garnish this sweet with fresh raspberries since they are coming into season. Offer this with a fruity herbed tea and vanilla cookies." Makes 4 servings
You can view this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/raspberry-chill/.
Ingredients
2 cups frozen raspberries
1 1-lb. pkg. lite silken tofu
1/4 cup vanilla soymilk
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 pint fresh raspberries for garnish
1/2 cup crushed pecans for garnish
Directions
Put frozen raspberries, tofu, soymilk and brown rice syrup in blender, and process until smooth. 2. Pour or spoon into serving dish or individual compotes, and garnish with raspberries and pecans before serving.
MASCARPONE BERRY BOWL
This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.
Active Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/mascarpone-berry-bowl-12343050.
Ingredients
1 cup mixed berries, such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries
1 lemon, zested and juiced
5 tablespoons honey
One 8-ounce container mascarpone
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Splash of vanilla extract
Fresh mint leaves, for serving
Biscotti, for serving
Directions
Mix the berries, lemon zest and juice and 2 tablespoons of the honey in a bowl; set aside.
In a separate bowl, add the mascarpone, heavy cream, vanilla and remaining 3 tablespoons honey. Using a hand mixer, whip together until light and fluffy.
Divide the sweetened mascarpone among 4 serving bowls. Use the bottom of a spoon to create a well in the middle of each mascarpone mound. Spoon the berry mixture into each well. Garnish with a sprig of mint on top of the berries and a biscotti on the side.
STRAWBERRY PIE

Several summers ago, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?
Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.

Ingredients
1 quart strawberries
1 C sugar
3 Tablespoons corn start
3/4 cup hot water
1 pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.
Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.
Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!
BLUEBERRY CRISP
This is from Genevieve Ko in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Genevieve wrote, "Fragrant with the sunshine of lemon zest, the crackly almond roof of this summer-in-a-dish dessert gives way to jammy berries begging to be swirled with ice cream. To make this dead simple treat even easier, the crisp topping is simply stirred with melted butter, which binds together the dry ingredients while giving the mixture a sturdiness that holds up against the juicy fruit. Sliced almonds require no chopping and add a delicate crunch, but chopped pecans would be delicious here too, as would pinches of spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom or even black pepper. The topping can be refrigerated for up to 3 days ahead of time. Pro potluck tip: Ask the host if you can use the oven, and if you can, bring the berry mixture in the baking dish and the chilled topping in a separate container. When you arrive, scatter the crumbs over the filling and bake to perfume the house and enjoy a warm dessert."
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "A Summer Dinner Party That’s Actually Fast and Easy", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024462-blueberry-crisp.
Ingredients
For the Topping
1 lemon
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted if you’d like
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the Filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 packed tablespoons cornstarch
2 to 2-1/4 pounds blueberries
Ice cream, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare the topping: Zest the lemon directly over the sugar in a medium bowl and mix with a fork. (Save the zested lemon for the filling.) Mix in the flour, almonds and salt.
The cooled melted butter has likely separated, so stir it until evenly pale yellow, then drizzle over the dry ingredients. Stir lightly and quickly until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbles with gravelly bits; don’t overmix. Refrigerate until ready to use. The topping can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Make the filling: Whisk the sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl to break up starchy clumps. Add the blueberries and squeeze in 1 tablespoon lemon juice from the reserved zested lemon. Toss until evenly coated, then scrape into a 1-1.2- to 2-quart casserole (such as a 9-inch square dish or deep-dish pie plate).
Spread the berry filling in an even layer, then cover with the topping, leaving no gaps. Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.
Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling like lava, 40 to 45 minutes. You don’t want to burn your mouth eating the crisp hot, so let it cool for at least 15 minutes and preferably an hour or so because the filling firms up as it cools. It can be served warm or at room temperature, ideally with ice cream.
CRANBERRY PIE
My dad loved to cook, and usually came up with decent recipes. He sent this one in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.” (It can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking, which will be pulled off and/or drastically improved after the June 1, 2024.)

Note: The pie can be made with either one crust (second photo) or two (top photo). The recipe originally calls for one crust, though.
Ingredients
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Directions
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
Ingredients
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1-1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Directions
Make as above.
BLUEBERRY LATTICE PIE
This is from Molly O’Neill in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Molly wrote, “Here's a showstopper of a summer pie if there ever was one. In this recipe that came to The Times in 1995, a generous pile of blueberries is tossed with sugar, cinnamon and orange zest then baked in a butter-shortening crust until the filling is bubbly and the crust golden brown. Don't be intimidated by the lattice top. Just take your time, and do your best. No matter what it looks like, it'll taste delicious.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
This was featured in “On Blueberry Hill”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9290-blueberry-lattice-pie.
Also, check out “How to Make a Pie Crust,” by Melissa Clark. Very helpful!
Ingredients
The Crust:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
6 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
The Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
6 cups fresh blueberries, cleaned
Preparation
To make the crust, combine the flour, 2 teaspoons of sugar and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually and lightly mix in just enough ice water so the dough can be gently pressed into a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, flour and orange zest. Place the blueberries in a large bowl and toss with the sugar mixture.
Divide the dough in half and roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Place the filling in the dish. Roll out the remaining dough, cut 1/2-inch-wide strips and weave into a lattice top. Seal, trim and crimp the edges. Brush the top pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle it with the remaining sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 and bake until crust is browned and filling is set, about 20 minutes longer. Cool on a rack. Cut into wedges and serve.
RASPBERRY CHILL
This is from the May, 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 26. It begins, "This snappy, user-friendly recipe comes together in just minutes, providing a cooling bite for a heated main course. To gild the lily, garnish this sweet with fresh raspberries since they are coming into season. Offer this with a fruity herbed tea and vanilla cookies." Makes 4 servings
You can view this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/raspberry-chill/.
Ingredients
2 cups frozen raspberries
1 1-lb. pkg. lite silken tofu
1/4 cup vanilla soymilk
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 pint fresh raspberries for garnish
1/2 cup crushed pecans for garnish
Directions
Put frozen raspberries, tofu, soymilk and brown rice syrup in blender, and process until smooth. 2. Pour or spoon into serving dish or individual compotes, and garnish with raspberries and pecans before serving.



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