First of all, let’s get one thing out of the way. This is not a photogenic dessert. It will not photograph well when you plate it, nor will it look pretty for the ‘gram. But it will bowl you over with how quick and simple it is to put together, and goes a long way to feed a crowd. With its perfect balance of tart berries and sweet crumble, it isn’t overly sweet, and requires minimal prep time for a fruit-based dessert. As a crumble, all that’s required is a quick toss to mix the filling and topping before popping it in the oven. And it’ll take you less than an hour from prep to service.
Substitutions
As tends to be the case with simpler recipes, the substitutions are uncomplicated and fairly straightforward. Switch out the all-purpose flour with almond or wholewheat for a lighter version, or reduce the sugar if you’re looking for something more tart; on the other hand, increase the sugar in the filling if your berries aren’t sweet enough. You can also replace the melted butter with an equal amount of coconut oil if you want to make a vegan blueberry crumble.
If you don’t have blueberries on hand or are allergic, the filling and crumble recipes can be adapted for other seasonal fruits too, such as apples, peaches, or other berries.
How to Serve
Top with sliced almonds or walnuts, either in the crumble mixture or once it’s out of the oven, and serve either warm with ice cream or at room temperature on its own.
The blueberry crumble can be made ahead of time and stored too. It can be kept at a cool room temperature for 24 hours and then in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, or frozen for up to three months. To reheat, pop in a preheated oven or air fryer for 10 minutes, or in a microwave on medium-low heat.
Blueberry Crumble
Ingredients
For the filling
- 300 grams blueberries
- 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the crumble topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup quick-cooking oats
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- â…“ cup brown sugar
- Pinch of salt (rock or sea salt work well)
- 100 grams butter, melted
- Optional: chopped/sliced almonds or walnuts
Directions
- Wash and drain blueberries until completely dry. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and mix. Then add sugar, all-purpose flour, and cinnamon, and toss gently to coat evenly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, sugars, salt, and nuts (if using) until thoroughly combined. Pour in melted butter and mix thoroughly.
- In a baking dish, pour the blueberry filling mixture and spread it out until flat and even; make sure the berries are spaced out evenly too. Top the filling with the topping mixture and bake for 45 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
- Allow the crumble to cool and set for 20 minutes before serving.
