Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Breakfast Crumble

This morning I was going through the refrigerator looking for breakfast when I came across a bowl of very ripe peaches and plumbs purchased a couple of weeks ago at the farmers market. You know how that happens—you put something in the refrigerator, then other stuff gets put in front of it, and before you know it, the lovely fruit you wanted to enjoy is forgotten and almost too far gone to eat. I also came across a small bag of fresh cherries left over from a blog two weeks ago, and a partial container of blueberries.

I didn’t want to throw out the fruit, but I knew it wouldn’t last much longer. Plus, I was hungry!

So I decided to make a Breakfast Crumble. I love crumbles, crisps and pies for breakfast, even more so than dessert. And history shows that the early Americans agreed with me. They served fruit pies for breakfast, too.

Since the fruit I used was so ripe, I cut back on the sugar a bit so the dish wouldn’t be too sweet. If your fruit is tart, like Granny Smith apples or even not-so-ripe plumbs, feel free to add more sugar. Just be sure to pile-up the fruit since it will shrink as it softens while baking. I also added oatmeal and walnuts to the topping because, well, it was breakfast! And I decided to use lime juice instead of lemon because I like the smoother taste of lime better than the sharper lemon. However, feel free to use lemon if you have it.


This peach, plumb, blueberry and cherry crumble was a warm and satisfying meal. I poured a little bit of heavy cream on top, which acted as a nice balance against the warm, sweet, fruity treat. I think vanilla yogurt would also be a nice topping, as would whipped cream and, if you’re really naughty, ice cream.


Enjoy! By the way, if you haven’t done it yet, be sure to follow this blog on Facebook. Just click the link on the right side of this page to take you to the A Sunflower Life Facebook page, and then click “like!” Or follow me on Twitter at @LindaADitch and Instagram at linda_ditch.


Breakfast Crumble

8 to 12 cups fresh fruit of choice, cut into slices or chunks (see note on frozen fruit below)
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup flour
About 1 cup sugar (depending on sweetness of fruit)

Topping:
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix the fruit with lime juice, flour and sugar. Pour into a baking dish and set aside.

To make the topping: In a large bowl, mix together the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the butter pieced and break up with your fingers until the butter is mixed well with the other ingredients and broken into small bits. Add the walnuts and mix together.

Sprinkle a heavy layer of topping over the top of the fruit until completely covered. (Freeze the leftovers, if any, for next time.)  Place the baking dish on top of a cookie sheet covered with foil to catch any juices that might bubble over. Put into the oven and bake until bubbly and the topping is golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. (Mine took 50 minutes.)

Remove the dish from the oven and allow the crumble to sit until it cools, approximately 10 minutes. Serve as is, or top with heavy cream, whipped cream, yogurt, or ice cream.

(Note: If using frozen fruit, up the oven temprature to 375 degrees. It will take longer to bake. You'll know it's ready if you stick a toothpick into the middle and the filling is hot.) 




6 comments:

  1. I know I would thoroughly enjoy this for breakfast too!

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  2. Dear Linda, That is a terrific use of fruit that is getting too ripe.
    I do love crumbles but it is a little too hot right now to turn the oven on.
    This is good for the fall. I am looking forward to it.
    Have a beautiful day. Blessings dear. Catherine xo

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  3. A breakfast crumble is such a great idea for leftover fruit!! Delicious!

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  4. Linda, This looks delicious…I would so enjoy this for breakfast or anytime!

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  5. In summer we make these in the bread machine.

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  6. In a bread machine? What a brilliant idea!

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