Ever find yourself wondering what the heck to feed a group for breakfast? Pancakes and blintzes are delicious but can take a long while when making a handful at a time. Ina Garten has figured out how to make a pan full of blintzes (serving 8 to 10) all at once. Her Baked Blintzes with Fresh Blueberry Sauce are beautiful, taste wonderful and are the perfect texture. But hold on – what is a blintz anyway? Well, there are many variations, but they seem to have originated in central Europe, and – very generally speaking – most have something to do with a batter and a cheese filling. In Ina’s version, you simply toss the ingredients of the “pancake” layer in a food processor (or blender) and blend. The cheesecake layer works the same, except you whisk those ingredients – nothing too difficult here. The blueberry sauce calls for fresh orange and lemon juices, which adds just the right amount of brightness and depth. Wow your next breakfast guests with this great recipe find.
Have your kids help you measure and toss ingredients into the food processor or bowl to whisk. They can also squeeze oranges and lemons (make sure and point out how amazing they smell!). As you prepare and enjoy this breakfast with those you love, teach them a thing or two about some of the ingredients:
- Blueberries are wonderful for a healthy heart, thanks to their potassium and fiber contents. They also help to regulate the sugars in your blood so they stay at a healthy level.
- We all know that citrus has lots of vitamin C, which may help to keep you from getting asthma.
Since blintzes are said to have originated in central Europe, let’s learn a few things about Hungary and it’s people:
- Hungary has been home to some of the most popular mathematicians in the world.
- Hungary is also home to the best men’s water polo team in the world.
- Hungary is famous for it’s sweet spas and baths.
From: Baked Blintzes with Fresh Blueberry Sauce
- For the batter:
- 1¼ cups milk
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 extra-large eggs
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- For the filling:
- 3 cups (24 ounces) ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 2 extra-large eggs
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh Blueberry Sauce (recipe follows)
- Fresh Blueberry Sauce:
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3 oranges)
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 half-pints fresh blueberries
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- For the filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 13-inch cake pan or baking dish.
- For the batter, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and blend until smooth. (You can also use a blender.) Pour half the batter (about 1¾ cups) into the prepared dish and bake for 10 minutes, until set.
- Meanwhile, for the filling, whisk together the ricotta, mascarpone, eggs, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. Spread the cheese filling over the baked pancake. Carefully spoon the remaining pancake batter to cover the cheese.
- Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the filling is almost set. Remove from the oven and allow to stand 10 to 15 minutes. Cut the blintzes in squares and serve warm with the fresh blueberry sauce.
- Fresh Blueberry Sauce:
- Combine the orange juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When the mixture is translucent and thickened, stir in the blueberries and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, just until a few berries have burst but most are still whole. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice and cool. Yield: Makes 2 cups.
