Last time, I shared a simple recipe for apple crumble pie, which is basically a baked dessert consisting of a compote topped with streusel topping. However, I missed the opportunity to expand on the possibilities with this dessert by including some interesting variations. One of the most popular variations I happened across in my research is the infamous blackberry crumble and is pretty self-explanatory.

Like the previous recipe, a blackberry crumble is simple to make and it can be made simpler when it's baked in the same skillet its cooked, starting with the blackberry compote followed by the streusel topping sprinkled on top.

It's so convenient this way, that anyone trying out this recipe for the first time, especially newbies, will be done in less than an hour.

The recipe

Compote ingredients

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 6 cups fresh blackberries
  • zest 1 lemon

Topping ingredients

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup oats
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon

The directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. To make the filling, combine the butter and sugar in a medium cast iron skillet and caramelize over medium-low heat for 3 minutes or until the butter melts and sugar turns. Add the blackberries and zest to the saucepan and stir to coat in the mixture. Saute the blackberries, stirring occasionally for five minutes or until the juices thickened and the blackberries are soft. Turn the heat to low and continue simmering the compote. It's time to make the streusel topping.
  2. To make the crumble topping, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter in a bowl with a fork or fingers until a mealy dry mix forms.
  3. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the compote evenly. Let it remain cooking on low heat until the topping begins to bubble.
  4. Cover the skillet and place it into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the crumble topping turns brown. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool for 5-7 minutes.
  5. When it's time to serve the blackberry crumble, transfer portions to plates using a large spoon and serve with a scoop of ice cream. Learn to make your own ice cream with this super simple recipe.

Serves: 6-8

Variations

  • Apple and blackberry crumble - Substitute diced apples for 2/3 of the blackberries.
  • Blueberry and blackberry crumble - Substitute blueberries for 1/2 of the blackberries.
  • Chocolate and blackberry crumble - Add 1/4 cup of chocolate chips to the streusel topping mixture in Step 2.