Crumble or crisp? Which is it? Or could it even be a cobbler? I’m not here to settle one of life’s major food debates- you can call this dessert whatever you please! But I’m going to go with crumble just because I like the way that it rolls off of (and on to) my tongue! Holy cow, y’all. This was a total experiment but it was so yummy I had to share! I love a good crumble- soft, ripe fruit topped with a crunchy, sweet topping is my idea of dessert nirvana. This crumble (or crisp) features perfect spring berries baked under a crunchy almond and coconut flecked lid. I won’t claim that this is a “diet” dessert- I’m actually opposed to those. If I’m going to have a dessert, I might as well have the real thing. However, I have made some swaps that make this sweet more nutritious and less sugar laden than most. For example, the filling is sweetened with honey instead of white sugar. Also, I subbed whole wheat flour for white flour and coconut oil in place of half of the butter in the crumble topping (or even try the GF topping option provided- so good). None of these substitutions sacrifice any flavor- actually, I think I like this “healthified” crumble more than the overtly sweet, buttery ones I’m used to. The addition of almond and coconut gives the dish a summery, slightly tropical essence. You can use whatever fruit is in season for the filling- I will try this again later in the summer with peaches, nectarines or cherries mixed in. In the fall and winter, apples or pears tossed with some raspberries would make for a delicious combo. It‘s perfectly fine to assemble this whole dish ahead of time and pop it in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap until you’re ready to bake, making it a great choice for entertaining. Oh, and it doubles up as a tasty breakfast topped with some Greek yogurt the next morning! I hope you guys are as crazy about this crumble as I am- it’s my new favorite treat!
prep time: 20 min. cook time: 45 min. Serves: 6-8
INGREDIENTS
2 cups blueberries
2 cups blackberries
2 cups raspberries
2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch
TOPPING
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 stick chilled butter, cut into cubes
2 tbsp coconut oil
*GLUTEN FREE TOPPING
1 almond flour
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 stick chilled butter, cut into cubes
2 tbsp coconut oil
FOR SERVING
vanilla ice cream (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°. Mix the berries with the lemon juice and honey in a 9”x13” baking dish and stir to combine. Sprinkle 1 tbsp arrowroot over the top and stir again to coat. Make the topping by adding the whole wheat (or almond) flour, sugar, almonds, salt, oats, cinnamon, and shredded coconut to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine- you still want the dry mix to have a little texture, so don’t over mix it. Add the butter and coconut oil to mixture and pulse 8-10 times more until the fat is just incorporated- the topping should have a crumbly texture with small pieces of butter still visible. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit in an even layer. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake in the oven on a middle rack 40-45 minutes, until the top is browned and the filling is bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature (vanilla ice cream a la mode optional, but recommended).