Berry Dreams

While mid-November is hardly prime time for berries of any sort, sometimes one can't help but crave a big pint of berries. It is at times like this that I realize how truly unappreciative I was during the summer months when berries, from strawberries and blueberries to blackberries and raspberries, were so plentiful and fresh, it was like you had just picked them off the bushes yourself. (It's also at times like these that I wonder why, when the berries were fresh, I didn't think to freeze some of them to ration them out during the cold, winter months. Next year, I remind myself, next year.)

So, whether you resort to frozen or splurge for the fresh berries, nothing beats a warm crisp with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on a chilly fall day.

Apple and Blackberry Crisp
Yield: 6 servings


Filling
3 Mutsu apples. peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup fresh ro frozen blackberries (or raspberries or strawberries) (250 ml)
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (125 ml - 175 ml)
2 tbsp cornstarch (30 ml)Grated zest of 1 orange

In a large bowl combine all filling ingredients and toss to blend.

Topping
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (125 ml)
1/4 cup flour (60 ml)
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into chunks (75 ml)
1/3 cup brown sugar (75 ml)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (2 ml)
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg (1 ml)
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup almonds, chopped (60 ml)
Butter, for baking dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the oats, flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Work mixture together with fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Add almonds and blend well.

Butter an 8 by 8 inch baking dish with butter. Pour apple filling into dish and mound topping over filling, covering it completely. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until bubbly and golden.
(Recipe by Christine Cushing, Cook With Me.)

Tip: I learned this from an episode of Chef at Home, which is to use a frozen stick of butter than to grate it into the filling so that the butter is in even pieces and spread out evenly throughout the oats.