Wild Blueberry Cream Cheese Scones

split with butter 3 625 sqChances are, unless you live in the northeastern area of North America, it is unlikely you have ever experienced the wonder of a fresh from the bush wild blueberry. They differ wildly (pun intended!) from their sibling, the cultivated blueberry. They are smaller, sweeter and more flavourful. The majority of them are frozen and used by commercial bakers all over North America. But, if you are lucky to live in The Maritime provinces, Ontario, Quebec or Maine, you will understand why I squeal with joy when they finally arrive in late July each summer.

In our increasingly global economy, where you can get anything at any time of year, fresh wild blueberries remain one of the few holdouts! They are only available late July-September. And for that I am grateful. There is something to be said for delayed gratification. Sure, you can get cultivated blueberries all year long, from other parts of the world, but nothing compares to the sweetness and burst of blueberry flavour that explodes in your mouth when you eat the wild ones.

There are those who believe that it is a crime to bake with wild blueberries. They are purists and feel that the wild ones should be saved for eating raw and that coercing them into a baked good is heresy. They postulate that only cultivated blueberries should be used for baking. To that group of extremists I say, “Try the grey stuff, it’s delicious!” If you have ever created a muffin or cake with cultivated blueberries, you know of the baking fiasco I refer to. They burst during baking  turning the whole cake a disgusting shade of greyish blue. Wild blueberries are well behaved. They hold their shape perfectly during baking and do not explode.

While each summer I certainly I eat more than my body weight in raw wild blueberries, mixed with Greek yogurt and Double Coconut Granola, I defend the right to use them in baked goods  as well.

I recalled a blueberry cream cheese scone I used to make many years ago, but could not find the recipe, so I did a google search. The blueberry cream cheese scone from Honolulu restaurant Diamond Head Market & Grill kept popping up in my search. Studded with blueberries and chunks of cream cheese,everyone raved about it. Although the bakery refuses to share their secret recipe, Hawaii food blogger Bonnie has cracked the code. Thanks Bonnie! We loved these scones fresh from the oven, but they were even better, split and toasted the next day! mise en place 1The key to these scones is to mix in the blueberries very gently and then carefully push small chunks of cream cheese into the dough. I scooped the dough with a spring loaded ice cream scoop and lightly pressed them with my palm to flatten. A brushing of cream and a sprinkling of turbinado sugar, and they were ready for baking.

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Click here to print recipe for Wild Blueberry and Cream Cheese Scones.

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7 thoughts on “Wild Blueberry Cream Cheese Scones

  1. themondaybox

    I don’t think wild blueberries are available around here. 🙁 No wonders of fresh from the bush wild blueberries for me. Do you pick them yourself, Cindy, or do you get them at a farmers market? These scones are practically bursting with berries. Gorgeous. A bit of butter and I would be in scone heaven!

    Reply
    1. saltandserenity Post author

      Hi Wendy, I don’t actually pick the blueberries myself, I just get them at the Farmers market. I just bought a huge basket and froze them so that I can take a handful out every morning to have with my yogurt and granola all winter long!

      Reply
  2. Twila Moore

    Hi, we have a Canadian deli here in Dallas & they make a blueberry/cream cheese scone that has pockets of cream cheese that are so delicious. I have tried 3 different recipes & the cream cheese always melts into the scone. How do they keep the cream cheese so firm? Surely it’s a Canadian thing 😃.
    Thanks so much!
    Twila

    Reply
    1. saltandserenity Post author

      Hi Twila, When I made my scones, the cream cheese also melted into the scone. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps they cubed he cream cheese and froze it for a while before putting it into the dough. Give that a try. Let me know it works.

      Reply

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