Stone Fruit Tea Cake...with Blueberries

.

Stone Fruit Tea Cake...with Blueberries When it comes to fruits, I really prefer eating them fresh. I especially like summer fruits. So, naturally I look forward to the summer....there's always an abundance of fresh fruits available on the market. For me, it would be ideal if I could just pick my own fruit ...straight from the tree! But, that is not always possible... I think I was spoiled while growing up. My parents planted all sorts of fruit trees in our backyard ... plum, peach, apricot, apple, quince, orange, mandarin, etc... On top of that, we had blackberries, raspberries, and grapes. At the time, I think I took it for granted...but, I do remember that the store-bought fruits were never as flavorful as the ones we had from our trees. I also remember coming home from school and snacking on a freshly-picked fruit instead of cookies or sweets. We really were blessed... especially to have so many fruit trees right in our backyard. And to think that all this was possible in a big city...my parents sure were amazing!

But recently, I came across a summery stone fruit tea cake that looked beautiful. I figured I could spare some fresh fruits to make the tea cake:).... This tea cake not only looked simple to make, but the fruit could easily be changed. Since it is called a stone fruit tea cake, fruits such as peaches, plums, apricots, or cherries should be used. You can just use one kind of fruit or use a variety of fruits. I like a variety....and I also liked the addition of fresh blueberries. The blueberries really stand out. The only thing about adding blueberries, is that I am not sure if it would still be considered a stone fruit tea cake. So I've entitled this recipe, Stone Fruit Tea Cake with Blueberries:).

I really like the fact that you can make the cake base ahead and freeze it for later use. You can just defrost the cake base, add the fruits, and bake. I did make mine the same day, just because I couldn't wait to make it:). I didn't have enough vanilla on hand...so I used a splash of orange, almond, and a bit of rum. I really liked the way it tasted. The hint of orange, almond and rum were not overpowering at all, but it imparted a great flavor. Of course, I did this on the spur of the moment and it worked for us. But, if that doesn't appeal to you, feel free to use vanilla....or whatever you like. I had a bit of almond meal in my pantry and decided to substitute some of the white flour with the almond meal. Next time, I will increase the amount of almond meal to at least 1/2 cup.

The cake has a nice tender crumb. It goes really well with some ice cream or even a drizzle of icing. It can also be eaten plain with some tea or coffee. My husband really liked it. Actually, he requested that I make it again. I think it is a keeper. Hope you enjoy....

You will need: inspired from HERE and adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour( I used 2 cups AP Flour +1/4 almond meal)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar( I used superfine(optional)...I blended it for a few seconds in the blender to get the finer consistency)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.

3 eggs

1 TBS vanilla* ( I used 1/2 tsp almond, 1/2 tsp orange+ 1/4 tsp rum)

2 1/2 cups chopped mixed stone fruit and blueberries( I used about 3 apricots, 3 plums +1/2 cup fresh blueberries)

* you could add some cinnamon if you like

Extra ingredients:

1 TBS unsalted butter, at room temperature, for pan

1 TBS turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top of cake

Directions:

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Cream the sugar and butter together on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the extract(s). Add the flour mixture and fold it in just until smooth dough forms.

Divide dough in 2 one piece a bit larger than the other. Place the dough on a plastic sheet and add a second plastic wrap on top. Flatten the dough into a 1-inch thick disk, and freeze for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a shallow 10 inch round baking pan or tart pan...I used a 9 inch and my baking time had to be increased slightly. Divide the dough into two equal portions and pat one portion evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread most of the fruit over the dough....reserve about a handful. Break the remainder of the dough into tablespoon-size pieces and add it on top the fruit. Sprinkle the reserved fruit over the dough. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the whole cake.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm....do double check that the middle is cooked. If need be, drape the outside of the tart with a bit of foil so that it doesn't burn. Mine took about 40 minutes, just because I used a 9 in tart pan. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

~The tea cake will keep at room temp for a couple of days...it will get a bit softer. You can also freeze the unbaked dough; just wrap well.