CRUMBLE CAKE WITH BLUEBERRIES
The Crumble is a dessert from Anglo-Saxon and American tradition that has also become popular in our country and is commonly seen in the ‘crumble cake’ form.
Actually, this technique of crumbling shortcrust pastry and baking it with fresh fruit can also be adapted in other versions: as a spoon dessert in a softer variation, or as delicious bar-shaped squares.
The recipe I propose today is for Blueberry Crumble Bars, an original and practical way to serve Fruit Crumble Cake, with mini portions making it a perfect treat for a snack, an afternoon tea, or even a dessert buffet.
The base and the top layer of this dessert are made from a particular ‘crumbled’ dough, which is crunchy to bite into while the inner layer is a creamy filling with a taste vaguely reminiscent of Cheesecake. I chose to prepare it with blueberries because I love the sweet and sour contrast of this fruit and its color, which makes the dessert visually appealing.
A very easy and quick recipe to prepare that doesn’t require a mixer, just a bowl, and if you do not want to use an electric mixer for the shortcrust pastry, you can knead by hand.
For the filling, once all the ingredients are combined, a quick stir with a spatula is enough to mix them, and the mixture is ready to be spread over the shortcrust base.
To ensure these Blueberry Crumble Bars are ‘crispy’ just right and the filling does not soak the base too much, I preferred to bake the base for a few minutes first, then assemble it, cover with the crumbled topping, and finish baking.
A dessert you absolutely must try at least once, but I guarantee it won’t be the last once you taste it. I’m almost sure it will make its way into your list of favorite recipes.
Try it and let me know if you liked it.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Energy 711.31 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 75.02 (g) of which sugars 42.77 (g)
- Proteins 10.96 (g)
- Fat 42.72 (g) of which saturated 18.69 (g)of which unsaturated 10.46 (g)
- Fibers 2.17 (g)
- Sodium 278.95 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 1/3 cups cream cheese
- 1/2 cup yogurt (blueberry or plain)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg (large)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 packet vanilla sugar)
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries
- 1 lemon zest
Tools
- 2 Bowls
- Baking Pan
- Spatula
- Mixer
Steps
Preheat the oven to 340°F and line a 22 cm square baking pan with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can spray it with non-stick cooking spray or grease and flour it.
Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and begin to cream with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the flour and mix by hand or with the mixer until you get a homogeneous mixture. Set aside 1/4 of the mixture. Transfer the remaining Crumble to the baking pan and flatten slightly with your hands. Bake for about 20 minutes at 340°F/355°F. It should not cook but just lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until there are no lumps. Add the egg and mix with the spatula until well incorporated, then add the blueberry yogurt, vanilla, and the zest of one lemon, and mix. Lastly, add the previously washed blueberries.
Pour the cream cheese and blueberry filling onto the cooled cake base. Spread evenly and smooth with a spatula. Cover with the remaining (raw) crumble that you set aside. Garnish with some fresh blueberries. Bake at 340°F for about 35 minutes until the topping is golden. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting into squares. Before serving, you can sprinkle with powdered sugar.
NOTES AND VARIATIONS
CREAM CHEESE: I used classic Philadelphia, but any other full-fat cream cheese works as long as it’s not light. Ensure it is at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge at least 1 hour before using it.
YOGURT: In the original American Crumble Bars recipe, sour cream is used. I preferred to substitute it with blueberry yogurt to lighten the preparation. A plain whole yogurt is also fine.
LEMON ZEST: Don’t underestimate the aroma and fragrance that grated lemon zest brings to a dessert, even if you might think it’s unnecessary.
EGGS: It is important that the egg, even if it’s just one, is at room temperature.
VANILLA: Vanilla extract would be the best choice, but a packet of vanilla sugar works as well.
BLUEBERRIES: For this recipe, I used blueberries, but other berries or strawberries are also great. Whatever fruit you choose, I recommend using fresh, not frozen, which is fine for ice creams or milkshakes but not for this recipe, as it contains too much liquid.
STORAGE
Store the Blueberry Crumble Bars in the refrigerator in a container with a lid for up to 3 days.
