Alex Guarnaschelli s Summer Berry Crumble Recipe

“The warmth of the spices and the sweetness of the topping should almost give the fruit what it didn’t know it was missing!” says the Alex vs America star

“I love warm wintry spices in a fresh fruit dish. It’s unexpected to have a slight pumpkin pie vibe in the summertime,” says Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli.

“The warmth of the spices and the sweetness of the topping should almost give the fruit what it didn’t know it was missing!” adds the Alex vs America star, who served this dessert at the 2022 U.S. Open Tennis Championships in Flushing, N.Y.

Alex Guarnaschelli’s Summer Berry Crumble

½ cup uncooked old-fashioned regular rolled oats

½ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. kosher salt

6 Tbsp. (3 oz.) cold unsalted butter, divided

2 lb. fresh blackberries

2 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

½ cup blueberry jam

½ cup granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Stir together oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Cut 4 tablespoons of the butter into small cubes; use your fingers to work cold cubed butter into oat mixture until it resembles coarse peas. Spread mixture in little clumps on a baking sheet lined with parchment; freeze until solid, about 1 hour.

2. In a 10-inch high-sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium. Add 4 cups of the blackberries, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring, often, for 1 to 2 minutes to remove some of the moisture. Transfer berries to a baking sheet, and spread in an even layer to cool. Repeat cooking and cooling with remaining butter and berries. Transfer cooled berries to a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and lemon juice. Combine jam, sugar and lemon zest in same skillet over medium low; bring to a simmer. Gradually whisk in cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly, and return to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour over berries; stir until evenly coated.

4. Transfer blackberry mixture back into skillet. Sprinkle frozen crumble topping evenly over berry mixture. Place skillet on a baking sheet so the fruit doesn’t bubble over as it bakes. Bake until bubbling all over and browned on top, about 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Serves: 6

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Quick tip! “Leftovers are delicious on top of yogurt in a parfait or on pancakes or waffles,” says Guarnaschelli. “It gets better as it sits. Chances are, however, that there won’t be much leftover anyway.”

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