Orange-scented Blueberry Oat Square is a wholesome dessert with a delectable blueberry-orange filling sandwiched between a sweet and buttery orange-scented oatmeal crumb base and topping
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
Canadian
Keyword
blueberries, Blueberry Oat Square
Servings9
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
Filling:
12ozhighbush blueberries
¼cup+ 2 tbsp granulated sugar
3½tbsporange juice
1/16tspnutmeg
1/16tspcinnamon
3½tspcornstarch
Crumb Mixture:
1¼cupsquick cooking rolled oats (gluten-free, if required)
2/3cupall-purpose flour (gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour, if required)
½cupbrown sugar, lightly packed
½tspbaking soda
1/8tspsalt
1/16tspnutmeg
1/16tspcinnamon
½tbspfinely grated orange zest
½cupcold butter, cubed into ½“ pieces
Instructions
Filling:
Combine blueberries, sugar, 2½ tbsp orange juice, and spices in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture just to the boiling point then reduce heat to low and cook 10-12 minutes, or until blueberries break down and release their juices. Stir periodically.
Whisk cornstarch with remaining 1 tbsp of orange juice until smooth. Temper mixture by stirring in a tablespoon of the hot blueberry filling. Transfer cornstarch mixture to the blueberry filling. Increase heat slightly and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, apx. 2-3 minutes. Remove filling from heat and cool slightly for about 15 minutes then stir and cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the filling. Cool filling to room temperature then refrigerate for several hours or overnight until filling is completely chilled.
When ready to assemble and bake square, position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 7”x7” baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend above pan edge by approximately 1½”. This excess paper will be the ‘handles’ which will be used, post-baking, to lift and remove cooled square from pan for ease of cutting. Spray parchment-lined pan lightly with non-stick cooking oil.
Crumb Mixture:
In medium-sized bowl, combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix well. Stir in the orange zest. Add the cubed cold butter and, using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until mixture is crumbled into pea-sized pieces.
To Assemble Square:
Lightly press approximately 1½ cups of the crumb mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Spread the base evenly with the chilled blueberry filling. Gently shimmy the pan 3-4 times to further even out the filling. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture evenly over the blueberry filling.
Bake square in center of oven rack until the crumb topping is golden tanned, approximately 40-45 minutes. Let square cool completely in the pan on wire rack. Using the 1½“ parchment paper overhang as ‘handles’, carefully lift square from pan, peel away parchment paper, and cut into squares.
Store squares in airtight container in refrigerator for up to three days or freeze for longer storage.