Strawberry Almond Crumble

Strawberry almond crumble pairs our favorite sweet red berries with a buttery almond oatmeal topping that also happens to be gluten-free. And since it's so quick and easy, this is the perfect dessert to make for your sweeties today for Valentine's Day.

I was probably five or six years old when I first tasted a crumble. We lived in Pointe-a-Pierre, the Texaco “camp” in Trinidad where all the employees lived with their families. I suppose there were plenty of Americans but the houses on either side of us were English and Scottish. And being a former British colony, that influence was everywhere else on the island too.

Crumble, I discovered, is the simplest of desserts: Fruit topped with sugar, flour and butter and baked till golden. Over the years, I’ve challenged that recipe by mixing more than one fruit together – apple and rhubarb is a traditional and family favorite – and adding extras to the crumble, like today’s slivered almonds and oatmeal. Added bonus: when you need a gluten-free dessert, this is an excellent option.

The best part of crumbles is that they can be baked and served hot. Or baked ahead and served cold, at room temperature or even rewarmed. Like all crumbles, this strawberry almond crumble is the most forgiving of desserts.

Strawberry Almond Crumble

Do feel free to mix up the fruits with whatever is seasonal for you. If your fruit is more tart, you can add a little extra sugar to the filling. Sweeter fruit might need less sugar.

Ingredients
For the filling:
1 1/2 lbs or 560g fresh or frozen strawberries (hulled)
1/4 cup or 50g caster sugar
1/4 cup or 25g almond meal
2 tablespoons Pimm’s No. 3 Cup or alcohol of your choice - optional
1 tablespoon minute tapioca
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the crumble topping:
2/3 cup or 50g 5-minute oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup or 60g slivered almonds
1/2 cup or 100g demerara sugar
5 tablespoons or 70g cold butter (diced) plus a little extra for buttering deep pie dish

To serve: whipping or thick pouring cream

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and butter a deep pie dish with butter.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the hulled strawberries with the rest of the filling ingredients.

Pour the filling into the buttered dish and spread it around evenly.

Mix all of the crumble ingredients together stir.

Use a pastry blender or even a food processor on pulse to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over process into a paste.

Sprinkle the crumble on top of the filling.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes for fresh fruit or 50-55 minutes if you are using frozen.

Start checking for bubbling filling about 30-40 minutes in. Once it is bubbling, bake for about 10 minutes more. You need the filling to boil and bubble to help it activate the tapioca and cornstarch so it will thicken up.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

If you are baking this a day or two before you are serving, cool the crumble completely, cover it with cling film and refrigerate. You can serve the crumble warmed in the microwave or oven but I must say that some folks love it cold.

Whether warm or cold, at our house, crumble is served with thick whipping cream. I suggest you do the same.

Enjoy!

This Sunday which is also Valentine's Day, of course, we are sharing dishes that would be great for your celebration. Check out all the goodness below. Many thanks to our host, Rebekah of Making Miracles. 

• Beet-Kissed Savory Goat Cheese Truffles by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Chocolate Chip Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Chocolate Dipped Strawberries by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Grilled Grapes & Paneer Sticks by Sneha's Recipe
• Salmon with Peach Salsa by Making Miracles
• Strawberry Almond Crumble by Food Lust People Love
• Watermelon Mousse by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Wild Rice Stuffed Pork Tenderloin by A Day in the Life on the Farm

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Boozy Red White and Blue Fruit Salad

Not so much of a recipe as a way to add flavor and sweetness, the flavored alcohol makes this boozy red white and blue fruit salad a great adult treat at any summer picnic.

Much of the year, I need to add a little sugar to fruit salad to make it more palatable. But during the summer, sweeter fruit eliminates the need for sugar and opens up other options for adding zip (and just a little sweetness) to a simple summer fruit salad. Namely, booze!

Some of my favorite choices are Pimm's No. 1, Cointreau or Grand Marnier, but you could also use limoncello or whatever else you have on hand. That pretty pink liquid up there is the strawberry-infused vodka I made for Sunday Supper. It's really lovely and super easy to make.

Note: If you want to make this kid-friendly, make very light syrup by boiling 1/2 cup or 120ml water and only 1/4 cup or 50g sugar and infusing it with the fruit of your choice. Leave to cool then strain out the mushy solids and discard them.

This week my Sunday Supper group is sharing colorful red, white and blue recipes that would be perfect for Fourth of July so I chose my fruit accordingly. Feel free to substitute whatever is fresh and sweet in every season.

Boozy Red White and Blue Fruit Salad

Ingredients
Juice of 1/2 lemon – about 3-4 teaspoons
1 Red Delicious apple
6 oz or 170g blueberries, rinsed
8.8 oz or 250g strawberries, hulled and rinsed
8.8 oz or 250g melon, already peeled and seeded
1 dragonfruit, peeled
1/2 cup or 120ml fruit-flavored liquor of your choice (or a mix!)

Method
Since lemon juice will stop chopped apples from browning, start by juicing your half lemon into the salad bowl. Core your apple and chop it in to small pieces, adding them to the bowl and stirring to coat them with the lemon juice.

Chop the rest of the fruit (not the blueberries!) into small pieces and stir them all in with the apple. Add in the liquor of your choice. For this batch, I chose a mixture of the strawberry-infused vodka I made for a Sunday Supper post and Cointreau – so strawberries and orange.

Stir gently. Cover with cling film and chill till ready to serve. If you think about it, give the bowl another gentle stir or two while it’s chilling.

You can serve this along with a cheese platter at the end of your summer meal or just in bowls with a spoon. Either way, enjoy!

Looking for more red, white blue recipes?

Patriotic Picnic Picks

• American Flag Layered Dip by Soulfully Made
• Baked Blueberry Pancake with Cherry Syrup by Pies and Plots
• Gluten Free Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake by Cricket’s Confections
• Blueberry Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits by Daily Dish Recipes
• Blueberry Watermelon Salad by The Crumby Cupcake
• Boozy Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad by Food Lust People Love
• Healthy Greek Yogurt Parfait with Summer Fruit by Confessions of an Over-worked Mom
• Patriotic Slaw by Our Good Life
• Red White and Blueberry Dinner Salad by Cooking With Carlee
• Red, White and Blue Deviled Eggs by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Tomato, Cucumber and Bleu Cheese Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Liberating Desserts

• American Flag Fruit Tart by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Blueberry Strawberry Swirl Sherbet by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Key Lime Cream Puffs by Gourmet Everyday
• Patriotic Low Carb Vanilla Mousse in the Instant Pot by My Life Cookbook
• Red White & Blue Bundt Cake by Restless Chipotle
• Red White and Blue Banana Ice Cream by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Red, White & Blue No Bake Cheesecake by Bottom Left of the Mitten
• Red, White and Blue Broken Glass Jell-o by Turnips 2 Tangerines
• Rollitos de Vino Blanco by What Smells So Good?
• Rose Petal Jam Filled Blueberry Cupcakes by NinjaBaker.com
• Star Spangled Cookies by The Freshman Cook
• Strawberry and White Chocolate Panna Cotta by Tara’s Multicultural Table

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