Fresh blueberries rock my world. And when jammin’ with sweet basil and stuffed inside a crispy pastry, I just can’t get enough. I can assure you this Blueberry Basil Pastry will rock your world, too.
Crispy golden brown, my Blueberry Basil Pastry is oozing with fresh flavors. (All photos credit: George Graham)
You might call these turnovers, tarts, or even a hot pocket, but by any name, they are the perfect breakfast wake-up call. Bursting with fresh fruit flavor and baked up crispy and crumbly, the store-bought puff pastry works magic in this recipe.
While it appears difficult and will most certainly impress your family, I like the ease of this dish and the satisfaction you get from baking it yourself. And an added bonus: You are sure to have leftover jam for topping a basket full of biscuits.
So with this unique fruit and herb combination, it’s time to turn over a new leaf with my easy recipe for Blueberry Basil Pastry.
Store-bought puff pastry combines with simple pantry ingredients for dramatic (and simple) results in this Blueberry Basil Pastry.
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil, stems removed
- Juice from half a lemon, seeds removed
- ½ cup water
- 4 cups fresh blueberries, stems removed
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 package powdered pectin
- 1 (17-ounce) package frozen Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry sheets (2 sheets), thawed, but still cold
- 1 beaten egg
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- In the container of a blender, add the basil, lemon juice, and water. Blend on high until completely pulverized.
- In a pot over medium-high heat, add the blueberries and the basil mixture along with the sugar. Bring to a boil and add the pectin. Stir for 1 minute while boiling, then lower the heat to a simmer. While on the stove, break up about half of the blueberries with a potato masher or immersion blender. Once it begins to thicken (about 1 minute), turn off the heat and let cool. Using a spoon, skim off any foam from the top. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Unpackage and roll out the pastry sheets and cut into 5-inch squares. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the jam into the middle of each and fold the pastry from corner to corner in a triangle shape. Brush the edges with egg wash and pinch to seal. Brush the tops with more egg wash and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF and bake until puffed up and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice until it combines into a glaze.
- Remove the pastries from the oven and brush with the glaze. Serve immediately with a hot cup of Louisiana café au lait.
Ah, the sweet life!
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I think I can do this George!!! Love the combination of basil and blueberries!
Thanks Kim. And it is quite easy with the store-bought puff pastry. Enjoy.
Not much of a blueberry person. Would blackberries work as well?
Rosemarie – I’m coming to your house for breakfast pastries; blackberries send me to a sweet, dark and delicious place like nothing else. They are my favorite berry of all, and would make these pastries even better. Delighted to hear from you.
Hello George, Love your recipes and usually have no trouble making them. How thick is the filling in this supposed to be? Mine is still cooling and it is not very thick yet.
Hey Deanne-
It should be the thickness of jam. Refrigerate it and check the consistency when fully chilled. If still too thin, add more pectin and cook a bit longer until thickened. As seen in the photo, once it bakes, the filling will ooze out and that’s exactly what you want. All the best.
Thanks for your prompt reply. It has thickened up. I am used to pie filling that thickens with corn starch right away. i can’t wait to serve it tonight. Thanks again….keep cooking and posting your yummy recipes. I love them up here in North LA.
Hey George, Here I am back again. These were yummy. But i had so much jam left over that I think half as many blueberries will be enough next time. After making it right by the recipe, I then took another two pastry sheets and cut in 3 X 3 in squares, put a TBLS of jam on each, sealed and baked. These made just the right size as the 5 x 5 puffed up and were very large. 3×3 made me about 8 and still i had jam left over. Also, the second time, I mixed milk with powdered sugar for the glaze. with these little tweaks, I plan to do again.
Deanne- I applaud your personal touch to this recipe, and your directions are right on. It’s hard to mess up fresh blueberries and crispy puff pastry. All the best.
Have 2 lbs of commercially frozen blueberries.
Can they be used, and what should I do differently?
Hey BJ- Yes, frozen blueberries should work fine. They may contain more moisture, so you may need to add more pectin. Thanks for the comment.