Want a simple dessert to wow guests? Look no further! These delicious ramekin berry crisps are a guaranteed success no matter the occasion. Similar in some ways to a cobbler and way easier then any pie recipe, this dessert doesn't take much to put together.
This recipe is based off of my mother's famous apple crisp. Most apple crisps I’ve seen have some type of oats in the pastry portion. I grew up eating this oats-free version instead and let me be the first to say my mother's apple crisp recipe is the BEST I've ever had. Whether or not that is childhood nostalgia talking is up to you, wonderful readers.
What exactly is a bumbleberry? Believe it or not bumbleberries don’t actually exist. The term is used to describe a mixture of at least three different berry varieties. I’ve tested out many different berry mixes while working on this recipe, including:
~ Strawberry
~ Raspberry
~ Blackberry
~ Blueberry
~ Haskap aka honeyberry
All of which turned out delicious. Try to pick at least two or three of the above berries to use for best results. I will typically try to do half red berries and half darker berries.
One of the perks to this recipe is that the variety of berries used is completely up to you! Use a mix of your favourite berries for maximum enjoyment out of this berry crisp. Or, use this as an opportunity to get rid of all your leftover berries before they go bad. Wash your berries using a colander, removing any stems/leaves you find. Fill a large measuring cup with three and a half cups of mixed berries. This is the max amount of berries you can fit in four average-sized ramekins before they overspill while cooking.
If there are any other berries native to your area that you think would work well in this recipe, give them a shot and let me know how it turns out in the comments!
The crisp is my favourite part. It has an amazing flavour and a pleasant warmth from the cinnamon and nutmeg as well as a hint of citrus in the finish from a pinch of cardamom.
Earlier, when I mentioned that the pastry portion was easier than pie, I was not exaggerating. This recipe follows the first couple steps of making pie pastry and then done. That's it. No need to add any liquid and gently knead the dough into a ball before rolling it out. Just whisk together the dry ingredients and cut the cold butter cubes into it.
There are multiple tools that can be used to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender, butter knives, a fork, a food processor, or your hands to cut the butter until there are no pieces left larger than a pea.
The ramekins are the perfect individual serving size when serving guests, plus they look great and negate the mess of serving into bowls from a large dish. For this recipe I used ceramic 7-8 oz. ramekins. This recipe only makes four servings but can easily be doubled or tripled depending on the number of guests you need to serve.
Gently fold half a cup of the crisp batter into the berries, dividing them evenly between the ramekins. My ramekins can hold a little less then one cup each; get to know your ramekins and adjust the recipe accordingly. Next, spoon the remainder of the crisp crumbs over top of the berries. Split it evenly between all the ramekins and try to leave no berries exposed.
Place the prepared ramekins onto a baking sheet and then place it in the oven. This should catch any spills in case the crisps have some bubbling berry overflow. These usually take around 45 minutes to cook in the oven. The berries should be bubbling and the crispy top should have a deep golden/brown color.
For extra crispiness, set the oven to broil for a minute or two before removing the baking tray. Give the crisps at least 10 minutes to cool down before eating to avoid burning your mouth. I know the temptation to eat them right away is high, but try to resist.
The crisps are best eaten the same day they were made, while still warm. They can last a couple of days if you cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge. Just reheat them in the oven at a low temperature. I've rarely had any left over the next day.
This recipe is easily adaptable to other fruits. I've made both a peach and the original apple version. Keep an eye out in the future for when these and other fruits are in season - I may just continue the crisp series.
Ingredients:
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3 1/2 cup mixed berries *
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2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour
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1/8 tsp cinnamon
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1/8 tsp nutmeg
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1/8 tsp salt
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1 pinch of cardamom
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1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F and grease 4 ramekins (7-8 oz.) with butter then set them aside.2. Wash the fruit and remove any stems or leaves. Slice strawberries if using any. Put in a medium mixing bowl; set aside.
3. Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom in a bowl.
4. Add the cold unsalted butter cubes into the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to cut/blend the butter into the dry mixture. The cut pieces of butter should be no larger than a pea.
5. Using a spoon, mix 1/2 cup of the crisp mixture into the berries.
6. Fill each ramekin with a quarter of the berry mixture.
7. Spoon the extra crisp mixture on top of the berries, splitting it evenly between the ramekins.
8. Place the filled ramekins on a baking sheet and into the oven for 45 minutes. The crisps should be golden brown and bubbling. If not browned enough, set the oven to broil for at most 2 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Enjoy!