~ With Recipes for Classic Blueberry Pound Cake & Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie ~
Did you know there are 18 pick-your-own blueberry farms spread across Connecticut? One of our favorites is Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, a place famous not just for its pick-your-own berries but also its bustling farmer’s market and delicious bakery. When we visited, we were amazed by the variety—strawberries, blueberries, honeyberries, raspberries, jostaberries, peaches, pears, pumpkins, and apples, all ready for the picking.
Brief History
What makes Lyman Orchards even more special is its history. Back in 1741, John Lyman and his wife Hope bought 37 acres of land in Middlefield. John was a hardworking subsistence farmer, supporting nine children on that land. He did well enough that by 1760, he’d grown his farm to more than 187 acres.
Nearly three centuries later, the farm has stayed in the Lyman family—passed down through generations for 283 years. That original 37 acres has grown to an impressive 1,100 acres, making Lyman Orchards one of America’s oldest family-owned companies. When you visit, you’re welcomed by the orchards nestled on beautiful hills, rich with history and tradition.
This Classic Blueberry Pound Cake recipe has been a staple in our family since I can remember. This recipe makes a wonderful thick buttery flakey cake crust that is wonderful. This cake never disappoints or last long!
The Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie is a recipe I created for my son as it is his favorite pie. It takes effort and time to make this pie, but in the end, well worth the effort! (and this pie may be gone faster than the cake!)
Classic Blueberry Pound Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-pint fresh blueberries
Cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla.
Sift 2 cups flour, salt, and baking powder together. Next combine the sifted ingredients to creamed butter mixture and beat well. Dredge the blueberries in the remaining 1 cup flour then carefully, by hand, sift out the berries leaving the extra flour behind. Fold gently into floured berries with a spatula into the creamed mixture until mixed well.
Pour batter into a tube pan which has been lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven for 1 hour, 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust (bought from store) or make from scratch
Cream Cheese Mixture
1 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla
Place blueberries and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until you notice some of the blueberries breaking down, about 3-5 minutes.
Next mix the cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Set aside.
Add the 1/4 cup sugar to the blueberries then stir in the cornstarch mixture into the blueberries. Stir constantly until mixture thickens, just 1-2 minutes or so. Once the mixture bubbles, it’s done. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Cover warm mixture so it doesn’t form a skin and let come to room temperature, then chill for 1 hour.
In an electric mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form, then slowly add the powder sugar. Continue to beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla. Set aside in a bowl.
Cream the cream cheese until smooth then remove bowl from mixer. Fold in the sweetened whipping cream to the cream cheese with a spatula, and as you combine the two, lift the batter slightly as you stir to make light and airy.
Place cream cheese mixture on bottom of pie crust. Add the chilled blueberry mixture. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.
Picking blueberries reminds me of my childhood at my Grandparent’s farm in Mississippi. Blueberries trees were on the side of the house, and I used to love picking them as a child. So many fond memories for many of us now who had parents or grandparents that owned a farm.
Blueberries can be used to make a variety of breads, pies, jellies or preserves, smoothies, etc. Here is a website that has several good blueberry recipes: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/photos/blueberry-muffin-recipes
You can even do something as simple as making my blueberry pie filling in the recipe above and adding it as a topping to slices of pound cake or cheesecake; or even ice cream! The possibilities are endless so let us all enjoy the wonderful taste of summer blueberries!
Lyman Orchards’ Website: https://lymanorchards.com/
