The Ultimate Berry Crumble – The Ultimate

I was only half kidding about the "ultimate" designation for this, as it truly was everything I've ever wanted in a fresh berry crumble. This has the perfect balance of sweet and tart, tender and crisp, not to mention copious amounts of butter in our double application of crumble.

As I mentioned in the video, if you want a pie-like filling, you'll want to toss in a few teaspoons of cornstarch, otherwise for a runnier fruit mixture cut it in half, or leave it out altogether. It really depends on what you're into, but either way, some ice cream on the side is highly recommended.

This really shines with fresh berries, but it will work with the frozen ones. Those tend to be a lot juicier, so keep that in mind when making cornstarch related decisions. And don't feel like you have to stick to berries, as ripe peaches, and other summer stone fruit would also be fantastic in this. No matter what you use, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 to 8 portions (made in 2-quart casserole):

  • For the crumble:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) frozen unsalted butter, grated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, or enough for dough to “clump”
  • For the fruit mixture:
  • 3 generous cups fresh berries
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1 to 4 teaspoons cornstarch, depending on how firm you want the fruit filling (I used 4 tsp)
  • pinch of cayenne
  • - Bake at 375 degrees F. for about 40-45 minutes
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