Recipes: Dessert

Summer Blueberry and Lemon Goat Cheese Pastry Cups

Nothing says summer like fresh, juicy and sweet Oregon blueberries. This is a delicious and easy starter, snack or dessert for summer barbecues, weekend gatherings or family dinner. They’re the perfect little bite of blueberry!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh Oregon blueberries (about 16 ounces)

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract

  • 6 ounces Goat cheese

  • 4 ounces cream cheese
    Zest of one medium to large lemon

  • ΒΌ cup chopped pistachios

  • 1 package fully baked Phyllo Shells, thawed

Instructions

  • Add blueberries to a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat and stir in the sugar and 2 tablespoons water.
  • Stir frequently, for the first 5-8 minutes.
  • Once the blueberries have released their juices and become syrupy, continue to simmer uncovered on low heat (giving it a stir now and then) for about 25-30 minutes, or until the blueberries are jammy in texture. They will thicken a bit more when cool.
  • Take the blueberries off the heat and stir in the lemon extract. Let them cool.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together goat cheese, cream cheese and lemon zest. Place a Ziploc plastic bag or pastry bag into a tall glass and fill it with the goat cheese mixture. If using a plastic bag, cut one bottom corner large enough to pipe the goat cheese onto the blueberries.
  • Place the phyllo shells on a platter and fill each shell with a tablespoon of jammy blueberries. Then pipe the goat cheese mixture over the blueberries and top each pastry cup with chopped pistachios. Serve.

Makes About 16

NOTE: You can make the jammy blueberries and the goat cheese mixture a day in advance of serving and hold them in the refrigerator. Bring them to room temp and then fill the pastry shells.