I've been missing from this space for a while. Phoenix summers are notoriously brutal so we try to get away for several weeks of the worst of it. I'm catching up a bit this week with both Blueberry Biscuits and Park Avenue Brownies.
Both of these recipes were a joy to make and so quick. One bowl recipes with ingredients that I keep on hand are such a great surprise, especially when you're playing catch up.
I was really looking forward to the Blueberry Biscuits recipe since I would like to have more biscuit and/or scone recipes in my go to list. I used a frozen mixed berry blend that worked well, possibly breaking up less during mixing than fresh berries might have. Dorie cautions that the dough will be somewhat dry and take some work to bring it together. I added just a small splash extra liquid to make this easier. I patted the dough into a square and cut nine squareish biscuits for ease and convenience. I baked four so my family could try them and put the rest in the freezer, unbaked, to enjoy later. It makes me feel like I'm stealing time to be able to have freshly baked biscuits in just a few minutes.
My husband follows a low sugar diet and but I encouraged him to try these since there is just a small amount of sugar in the recipe. He really enjoyed them without breaking his eating plan. I put a bit of honey on mine to make it a bit sweeter but I can see that these would be a versatile dessert as a base for ice cream, whipped cream, jam and other toppings. As Dorie mentioned, they are a bit cakelike, maybe a little more moist than a traditional scone or biscuit.
The Park Avenue brownies also went together very quickly in one bowl without the need for a mixer. I whipped these up just in time for an after school snack. When my son smelled the baking chocolate, he had to go to my open cookbook to see what was in store for him once they cooled. :-) I left out the nuts but added a sprinkle of flaked salt. They had a soft texture and intense chocolate flavor. This is a great go-to recipe when you want something rich and chocolatey in a flash.
To see the successes of my fellow Tuesdays with Dorie bakers, see the Tuesdays with Dorie LYL posts for links. To try this great classic recipe, check out Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple.
