2-1/4 cups frozen* or
fresh blueberries, divided use
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch salt
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese (from an 8-ounce container)
2 drops red food coloring
1 drop yellow food coloring
1 (10.75-ounces) loaf frozen pound cake, thawed
2 teaspoons confectioners (powdered) sugar
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Prepare sauce: In a medium
saucepan over high heat, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add 2
cups of the blueberries; return to a boil. Cook until liquid
is released from fruit, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1/3
cup of the sugar, the cornstarch and salt in a cup. Add to cooked
blueberries, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about
1 minute. Spoon into a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate until
cold, about 2 hours.
Prepare filling: In a
small bowl stir together cream cheese, the remaining 1 tablespoon
sugar, and red and yellow food coloring to make orange-colored
cream cheese; set aside.
Assemble: Using a serrated
knife cut a thin layer off the top and bottom of the pound cake.
Cut the pound cake into 4 (1/2-thick) horizontal slices. Working
with 1 slice at a time, use a 4-inch bat-shaped cookie cutter
to cut out 2 bats. From the same slice, use a 1/2-inch half moon-shaped
cutter, to cut out 4 half moons. Repeat with remaining pound
cake. Carefully spread 4 bats and 8 moons with cream cheese mixture.
Arrange the remaining 1/4 cup blueberries in a single layer over
cream cheese, dividing evenly and pressing lightly. Cover with
remaining bat and moon shapes forming sandwiches. In a cup combine
confectioners sugar and cocoa; through a fine mesh strainer lightly
sprinkle over bat and moon sandwiches. Divide blueberry sauce
among 4 serving plates; spread to form a "sky background."
Arrange 1 bat and 2 moons
on each plate; serve.
Makes 4 servings.
*One (12-ounce) bag of
frozen blueberries contains about 2 1/4 cups.
Recipe and photograph are
courtesy of the US Highbush Blueberry Council. Used with permission.
