My love for blueberries has definitely shined throughout this entire blog ever since I’ve started my Bear Naked Food journey. And today, I’m sharing with you another deeply comforting and delicious recipe – Easy Baked Blueberry Crumble. Delicious and versatile, you could serve it warm or cold. We simply love to pair it with a scoop (or two if we are in an indulging mood!) of vanilla ice-cream to make it a perfect dessert.
I’m using fresh blueberries from Oregon and Washington, which are in season and at the peak of perfection now. They are also the leading producers of blueberries in the U.S., and I’m happy to report these blueberries are packed with full-on berry flavor and bursting with sweetness.
Do you know a handful of blueberries a day contains only 80 fat-free calories?
They are a good source of antioxidants and they add so much flavour to your meals!
For the best blueberry experience, look for firm, plump, dry berries with smooth skins and a silvery sheen. Wash them just before use and eat them as fresh as possible.
You can freeze remaining fruit for future use. They’re amazingly versatile and can be enjoyed all day, every day, for any meal.
In Singapore, Oregon and Washington Blueberries are widely available in fresh, although you can also find some frozen formats in retail outlets. Look out for the words ‘Oregon’ or ‘Washington’ on the packaging for fresh blueberries, or refer to the source at the back of the packet.
Oregon and Washington Blueberries are now in season and available at RedMart and FairPrice outlets. Check out https://www.oregonblueberry.com/ and https://wablueberries.com/ for more information.
The choice of butter used is definitely important too. Besides fresh blueberries, butter is another key ingredient that shines in this dessert. When it comes to choosing butter, I often find myself rotating between the President, Elle & Vire and Lurpak brands. Make sure to keep your butter really cold in the fridge and take it out only when you are ready to use it. You will be rewarded with a light and crunchy crumble topping.
Make sure the butter is cold.
Keep the remaining crumble in the fridge and they’ll taste even better the next day!
Ingredients:
Crumble –
2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour (or self-rising flour)
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking powder (omit if using self-rising flour)
¾ cup (150g) caster sugar
1 ½ stick (170g) unsalted butter – cut into small cubes
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vinegar
Berry filling:
3 punnets (approx. 420g) fresh Oregon or Washington blueberries
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from half a lemon
1/3 cup (75g) white sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
The line up.
Preheat oven at 190°C.
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and mix well with a balloon whisk.
Add cold butter into the flour mixture and fold into the flour.
Add in egg yolks, vanilla extract and use a fork to incorporate the ingredients.
Once the mixture looks like dry sand, drizzle in vinegar and continue to mix for about 30 seconds.
Switch to your hands and rub the butter between your fingertips until it resembles wet sand. Set it aside.
In a large bowl, combine blueberries and the rest of the ingredients for the filling together. Mix well. Do this step only when the crumble is ready.
Transfer half of the crumble into an oven proof deep dish and press down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon or spatula.
Place berries into the dish and distribute them evenly.
Cover the top with remaining crumble, grabbing some dough and pinching some together to resemble large clusters. This will create additional texture and appearance.
Bake at 190°C for 40 to 45 mins or until the top is golden brown.
Allow to cool for about 1 hour before serving.