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Blackberry Lemon Crisp

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Blackberry Lemon Crisp

By mid-week I had managed to eat all of the beautiful heirloom tomatoes and sweet nectarines I bought at the farmer’s market on Saturday, but I found myself left with a pint of flavorful but not-as-sweet-as-I-would-have-liked blackberries.  I didn’t want them to go to waste, but I didn’t really want to eat them.  I finally decided that all they really needed was a sweet, buttery, crumbly topping.

Wouldn’t it be great if all problems could be solved with sweet, buttery crumbs?

Half-Eaten Blackberry Crisp

I used whole wheat flour in the topping because I enjoy the extra flavor it adds.  Whole wheat flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and butter are an excellent combination – try using whole wheat pastry flour in your next batch of oatmeal cookies if you don’t believe me.  I also added lemon zest and a bit of cinnamon to the topping and it’s the hint of lemon that really makes this crisp something special.

This recipe makes a small batch – perfect for when you need a homemade dessert fix but don’t want to be tempted by too many leftovers.

Blackberry Lemon Crisp
adapted from Taste of Home
Serves 3-4

2 cups fresh or frozen and slightly defrosted blackberries
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 scant tablespoon + 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
pinch of salt
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons cold butter, chopped into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 1-quart baking dish (or 3 6-oz individual baking dishes or 4 4-oz ramekins).

2. In a small bowl, toss together blackberries, lemon juice, sugar, scant tablespoon of flour, and small pinch of salt.  Pour berry mixture into a greased 1-quart baking dish or divide between 3 or 4 individual baking dishes or ramekins.

3. In a separate small bowl, stir together oats, 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest.  Add pieces of cold butter and cut in using a pastry blender or two knives (or rub in with your fingertips) until crumbly.  Sprinkle topping over the berries.

4. Place baking dish(es) on a sheet pan and bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and topping is lightly browned.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.

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Comments

  1. Kary Gonyer says

    the beloved Taste of Home...i just subscribed....Gourmet went under so I went for this instead...from fancy to farmy... and this looks so good.... solve all troubles with sugary buttery crumbs ... LOVE IT !!!!! kary
    Reply

  3. Joanne says

    I have a tendency to think that most problems can actually be solved with buttery crusts. Although the crusts usually involve bribery of some kind... This looks so tasty! My last batch of blackberries didn't taste that awesome either but I just sucked it up and ate them. This would have been a much better solution!
    Reply

  4. Betty @ scrambled hen fruit says

    I love it in the individual dishes. If I could find the willpower to bake them and freeze some for later, it would keep me from eating them all! They look delicious, though. I think many blackberries could benefit from a little sweetening, just like many problems being solved with sweet buttery crumbs.
    Reply

  7. Amanda says

    This looks marvelous, and I know all about the not so sweet produce. I bought some plums the other day that were down right tart! Thanks for the shout out on my blackberry pie bars! :)
    Reply

  10. Porch Days says

    My fresh blackberries weren't sweet enough either. This looks like a good solution. When I was a young girl my sister and I used to go down the dirt roads in rural south Georgia to pick the berries. We always carried a stick to shake the bushes and scare away the rattlesnakes. Then my aunt would make us a blackberry cobbler. Best eatn' ever! With cream!
    Reply

  11. Deanna says

    I've made a similar version of this, but not typically using lemon zest. Tried it already with fresh blackberries from our backyard. The lemon zest really makes it perfect! Thanks!
    Reply

  12. Pam @ Cookware set says

    Yeah, love it. I wish too that all problems were solved by delicious wonderful food. :-) I have yet to make anything with blackberry so this is a perfect dish, I would not have thought of using lemon in this recipe, but makes sense. Thanks.
    Reply

  13. Cathy says

    I made this using fresh peaches that come from Fredericksburg, TX. and it was outstanding. The lemon zest really makes a difference.
    Reply

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