Something sweet

I recently found myself with a (quite ripe) pint of raspberries in the fridge.

Usually I eat raspberries quickly, so the fact that these had not already been consumed was quite the surprise.  But they were getting a little mushy, and so they needed to be used.  I was also experiencing some pretty severe writers block, so I did what any same person would do: I baked.  And, as luck would have it I was also able to get my hands on some strawberries.....

Berry crumble was on the menu.

The best thing about a crumble is that it can be made with any in-season fruit.  The second best thing about a crumble is that it's super easy to put together and requires few ingredients...and it's a nice light dessert, perfect for summer nights.

Ingredients
-about 6 cup of fruit...whatever you like.  Apples, pears, peaches, and plums work particularly well, as do berries.  I also like rhubarb, though you need to balance out it's tartness with something a little sweet.
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 cup flour
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-3/4 cup rolled oats
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp ground ginger (or use fresh for more delightful ginger flavour)
-1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/2 cup butter (or margarine)

Directions

1) Preheat your over to 350 degrees F.

2) Combine fruit, sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and lemon juice in a bowl; mix well.  Transfer the fruit mixture to a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

3) Combine remaining dry ingredients in another bowl.  Add butter; rub in with fingertips until the mixture holds together in small clumps.  Sprinkle over berry mixture.

4) Bake until the fruit mixture bubbles thickly and the topping is golden brown (about 1 hour).  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Delicious.  I like mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hint of maple syrup......

Making it work

My holiday dinners usually end with pie, but this year I decided to mix things up a bit.

My decision was, of course, influenced by the things I had around me.  I was at my parents, and I know that they don't have all of the same things that I might keep on hand for baking, and that their small town supermarket is not as well stocked as I would like.  So I looked at what they had and came up with a plan: caramel apple upside down cake.

Seriously.  Easiest dessert ever.

You will need:
-1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-3-4 medium apples, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch wedges
-1 box of cake mix (as well as the requisite egg and oil)

First, make the caramel by melting the butter in a saucepan.  Stir in the brown sugar and heat to boiling, then add the cinnamon (I also added one cup of crushed pecans for crunch).  Pour the caramel into a greased 9x13 pan (or two 9 inch round pans).  Arrange the apple slices over the brown sugar mixture.

Then, make the cake according to the package directions.  Pour over the apples, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean (about 30 minutes in a 9x13 pan).  Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then flip onto a plate to serve.

Delicious with vanilla ice cream :)