Mixed Berry Crumble

Berry crumble (or 'berry crisp') is the perfect winter warmer. This divine crumble has a bubbling layer of hot berries topped with a spiced, crispy crumble. The secret to making this quick and easy crumble is a bag of frozen mixed berries! Frozen berries are cheaper, last longer, and are always picked in season.

I top my crumble with a generous serve of ice cream or pouring cream. It's the perfect winter indulgence!

Ingredients in Berry Crumble

For the Berry Filling

• Frozen mixed berries: you can use any combination of fresh or frozen berries, as long as it totals 500 g (17.5 oz) in total. I like any combination of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries.
• Caster / superfine sugar: or granulated white sugar. I like using fine sugar because it dissolves easily.
• Cornflour / corn starch: this helps thicken the berry mixture. You can use 1 tablespoon of plain / all-purpose flour instead, if desired.
• Lemon juice: fresh or bottled is fine. You can even use lime, orange or other citrus juice in a pinch, or omit altogether.

For the Crumble Topping

• Plain / all-purpose flour: gluten-free flour will work too.
• Brown sugar: not white sugar. Brown sugar will give the crumble its rich flavour and crisp texture.
• Rolled oats / old-fashioned oats: whole oats give the crumble a wonderful texture.
• Cinnamon
• Mixed spice: I use a combination of cinnamon and mixed spice for a delicious spiced flavour, but you can also just use cinnamon or omit the spice completely.
• Unsalted butter

How to make Berry Crumble

When it comes to easy and heart-warming desserts, it doesn't get better than a berry crisp. There's only two main components:

1. Make the berry filling: mix together all the berry filling ingredients in a bowl. That's your filling complete!
2. Make the crumble mixture: Stir together the dry ingredients and then rub in the butter.

Then all that's left to do is sprinkle the crumble over the berry filling and bake until golden brown. Too easy!

Frequently Asked Questions

My crumble is too dry

You will need to rub the butter in well with your fingertips to get the crumble to moisten. Additionally, make sure you have accurately measured the dry ingredients in the crumble.

My crumble is too wet

Make sure the butter is cold before rubbing it in. If you've already made the crumble, try refrigerating it for 30 minutes before continuing. Also ensure you have accurately measured the dry ingredients.

My crumble topping burns before the filling cooks

Depending on the strength and circulation of your oven, the crumble topping may cook faster than the filling. Try cooking the crumble in the lower third of the oven. Additionally, once the crumble has turned golden brown, cover the top of the dish in foil until the filling has bubbled up.

My berry filling is too runny

If your filling has a lot of liquid, it could be because the fruit was particularly ripe or is defrosting quickly. Not to fear! You can add an extra teaspoon of cornflour / corn starch to help thicken the berry filling.

Serving Suggestions

My favourite way to serve the crumble is warm with ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. If you're serving it from the fridge, reheat the crumble in the oven or microwave for the best result.

Variations of Berry Crumble

If you're looking for something different, try:

1. Change up the fruit: While mixed berries are a classic choice for crumble, you can try using just one type of berry or mixing in other fruits, such as peaches, plums, or apples.
2. Add nuts: Chopped nuts, such as almonds or pecans, can add a nice crunch and flavour to the crumble topping.
3. Use different spices: Instead of cinnamon and mixed spice, try using cardamom, nutmeg, or ginger to add a different flavour profile to the crumble.
4. Use different sweeteners: Instead of caster sugar and brown sugar, try using honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar to sweeten the crumble.

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