I want to make Blueberry Lemon Shortbread Bars this week, so I needed a blueberry filling for the bars. I like to make my filling since I can change the ingredients for the taste I am after. Also, nothing beats a good cookie bar than using fresh fruit in between shortbread.
Blueberry Filling Ingredients
- Blueberries
- Sugar
- Lemon Juice
- Cornstarch
- Vanilla Extract
- Butter Unsalted
Making Blueberry Filling
When fruits are in season, it is the perfect time to make your filling for cookies and bars. The blueberries were looking good this week, so I thought, what the heck, I will make my own blueberry filling for my Blueberry Lemon Shortbread Bars.
1. To start, I juice a lemon and add one tablespoon to a small cereal bowl. Next, rinse and pick off any stems in the blueberries' packaging—Reserve one cup of blueberries to add later.
2. Add three cups of blueberries and the sugar to a saucepan. Turn on the stove to medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar while it comes to a boil.
3. You want to break down the blueberries, so I take the back of my wooden spoon to press the blueberries along the sides of the saucepan. This process can take about 5-8 minutes.
4. In the bowl with the lemon juice (you may need to add some blueberry juice from the saucepan to get the corn starch mixed), stir in the corn starch and add to the saucepan once combined. If it is not boiling, turn the heat up a little. You need the liquid to boil, so the corn starch thickens the blueberry filling.
5. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Take the pan off the heat. Add the vanilla extract and butter and mix until the butter is melted. I move the blueberry mixture to a bowl.
6. Reserved blueberries are ready to be added to the cooked blueberry filling.
7. Add the cleaned reserved blueberries to the cooked blueberry filling and let it cool before moving it to a glass container with a lid.
This blueberry filling would be great in thumbprint cookies and jelly rolls, blueberry bars, on top of pancakes, and toast.
Storage
Store in a glass container with a lid for 5 to 7 days. I find that fruit filling seems to keep better in glass jars. If you can grab a couple of mason jars, they are perfect for storing fruit fillings. Here is the type of glass jar I use at Amazon, or your local grocery store might carry them.
Home Made Blueberry Filling
Barbara HallIngredients
- 4 cups Fresh Blueberries
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ Tablespoon Butter unsalted
Instructions
- Rinse and clean the blueberries and add 3 cups to a saucepan. Reserve 1 cup of the blueberries for later. Juice 1 lemon into a bowl and set it aside.
- Add the sugar to the saucepan with the blueberries and heat on a medium setting. Bring the sugar and blueberries to a low boil. You want the blueberries to break down and get mushy. I use a wooden spoon to stir and keep pressing the blueberries against the side of the sauce to help the blueberries break apart. Continue to stir for about 8 minutes; it will start to thicken slightly.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of corn starch to the 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and mix. If you need more liquid, take a spoonful of the blueberry mixture from the saucepan to finish mixing the corn starch, then add the corn starch mixture to the saucepan. If it is not already, you will need to have this come to a boil and continuously stir for at least 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the vanilla extract and the butter to the pan. Stir until the butter has melted. Move the blueberry filling to a bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. Then add the 1 cup of reserved blueberries to the cooked blueberries and mix. After a few minutes, transfer to a glass container with a lid and refrigerate.
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