Blueberry Kuchen

A German treat that features a Canadian favourite: the blueberry.

A German treat that features a Canadian favourite: the blueberry.

Kuchen,
which is the German word for cake, was designated the state dessert of
South Dakota in 2000. The dessert is also quite popular in Chile, where
it was introduced by German immigrants in the late 1800s. Chilean
kuchen always features fruit such as apples or strawberries. It is also
a popular sweet in parts of Brazil, where it is known as cucha.

Topping:

Filling:

Cake:

Method:
1. Finely chop hazelnuts, then blend with brown sugar, flour and
cinnamon. Cut in butter until clumps form. Mix apples, blueberries,
sugar and lemon juice together. Cover and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F/180 C. Sift together flour, baking powder,
baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
3. In mixer, beat margarine and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add
eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon
peel, vanilla and lemon juice.
4. Beat in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, mixing
just until smooth.
5. Spread half (500 g) the batter in the prepared pan. Spoon filling
over the batter. Spread remaining batter over the filling. Sprinkle
with the topping. Bake until tester comes out clean (45 to 60 minutes).
6. Cool on rack until completely cool. Cut in squares.
Source: BC Blueberry Council, www.bcblueberry.com