Brownie Points, the brownie-lover's bible, features tested and proven, easy-to-make recipes for every imaginable kind of those deep, dark delicacies. Lisa Slater clearly and concisely explains everything about brownie baking methods including choosing the right chocolate, other ingredients and the equipment needed. Brownie Points includes proven techniques and recipes for: - Brownie muffins and cupcakes - Tarts and mousse - Brownie cheesecake - Sugar-free date brownies - Brownie molasses cookies - Gluten-free brownies and more.
Fresh Fruit Chocolate Crumbles: Pear, Cherry, Cranberry, Raspberry
Recipe from:
Brownie Points
by Lisa Slater, Photographs by Christopher Freeland Cookbook Heaven at
Recipelink.com
These are the easiest and most delicious fruit desserts. You’ll make them so often that soon you won’t even need the recipe. In fact, I’m not going to give you one because, depending upon the fruit, you may need more or less sugar and cornstarch. Just follow my guidelines and you’ll have guaranteed success. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche or Creme Anglaise.
Yield: 6 servings
4 cups (1 L) fruit: raspberries, cranberries, peeled and diced pears, pitted sweet or sour cherries, or any combination of these fruits
to taste brown sugar (see instructions)
to taste lemon or other juice, water, liqueur (see instructions)
cornstarch (see instructions)
spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg (see instructions)
1 recipe Brownie Crumble (recipe follows)
icing sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (1 80C). Butter a 9-inch (23-cm) square or round glass baking dish with 2-inch (5-cm) sides.
Place the fruit in a bowl. Start by sprinkling with 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Taste the juice at the bottom of the bowl. Is it too sweet? Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice. Is it not sweet enough? Add some more sugar.
If your fruit hasn’t given off any liquid after sitting in the sugar, add any one of the suggested liquids in the ingredient list. Cherries might not give up juice, cranberries won’t, and if your pears aren’t ripe, they won’t either. Start with 1/4 cup (60 mL) of fruit juice: orange, cranberry or even apple. Use just enough to dissolve the cornstarch. You can use liqueur, too, if you want: framboise with raspberries or Poire William with pears are fabulous.
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch over the fruit and toss to make sure it gets thoroughly moistened by the fruit juice. Fruits that are naturally high in pectin, like cranberries, may not need this at all, but if you like your crumbles more like pie filling, then add another teaspoon or two (5-10 mL) of cornstarch dissolved in some of the liquid. Let sit for a few minutes and toss the fruit together again.
Tumble the entire mixture into the prepared pan, including all accumulated liquid, dissolved sugar and cornstarch and spices.
Top with the crumble and bake until you see the liquid bubbling around the edges and up through the center of the crumble. If it’s not bubbling, the cornstarch won’t thicken and you will have a grainy sauce. The crumble will be crisp and firm when done. If crumble starts to darken before the juices come to a boil, cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
Add some spices to taste. Try ginger (1 tsp/5 mL) and/or nutmeg (1/4 tsp/1 mL) with pears. Cinnamon is great with cranberries (1 tsp/5 mL); I don’t think you need anything with raspberries but a bit of almond extract (up to 1 tsp/S mL) is good with both kinds of cherries (try 1/4 tsp/1 mL at first).
Before serving, dust the top with icing sugar.
BROWNIE POINTS This is a great brunch recipe, too. The night before, prepare the berry mixture and place in baking pan. Prepare the crumble but keep it separate Put both in the fridge. Just before baking, toss the berries to redistribute the juices. Top with crumble and bake as directed. Serve with Creme Anglaise.
BROWNIE CRUMBLE Yield: 2 1/2 cups (675 mL)
1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar
3/4 cups (150 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (30 g) cocoa
1/2 cup (65 g) all purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
4 to 8 tbsp (60 to 125 mL) melted butter
Place the sugars, cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.
Add half the butter and blend with your fingers to moisten the crumbs.
You should be able to squeeze the mixture in the palm of your hand and then sprinkle it between your fingers into pea-sized clumps. Add small amounts of the remaining butter as you mix. Don't add so much butter that it's like wet sand; nor should it be dry.
BROWNIE POINTS: Triple this recipe and freeze for future use. Throw it on cherries, strawberries or raspberries tossed with a little sugar, cornstarch and a squeeze of lemon juice for a quick crumble. Bake at (350 degrees F (180C) for about 30 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the crumble is firm. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Spread raw crumble on a baking sheet and bake in a 300 degree F (150C) oven for about 15-20 minutes or until firm. Cool. Sprinkle over ice cream or fruit salad for a snazzy garnish.
