Red Fruit Crumble
Sauteed red fruit — the mixture may vary with the seasons — is topped with an almond crumble and rich vanilla ice cream quenelles. Practice your saute tossing technique; this recipe makes good use of it. Use your imagination in selecting pretty glasses for the presentation. Chef Philippe Chapon uses transparent glass balls with a deep indentation at the top — and they look suspiciously like votive candle holders.
Ingredients
- Crumble
- Flour - 1 cup
- Pinch of baking powder
- Butter - 1/2 cup
- Sugar - 1/2 cup
- Almond Extract - 1/2 teaspoon
- Egg Yolk - 1
- Almonds - 1/4 cup, sliced, chopped fine
- Fruit
- Unsalted Butter - 1 tablespoon
- Strawberries - 1 quart, hulled and quartered
- Blackberries - 1 pint
- Blueberries - 1 pint
- Raspberries - 11 pint
- Red Currants - 1/2 pint
- Wild Strawberries - 1/2 pint (optional)
- Freshly ground cardamom - 1 teaspoon
- French vanilla ice cream - 1 quart
Instructions
To make the crumble: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy. Blend in the almond extract and egg yolk. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until combined. Add the almonds. Press the mixture in a thin layer over the lined baking sheet. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick; it will not fill the pan. Bake until just firm to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and cool. Crumble into pieces. Set aside.
To prepare the fruit: Melt the butter in a medium non-stick sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the butter until it begins to brown; the chef calls it "hazel-colored." Beurre noisette is the French term. Add the strawberries and toss; cook 1 minute, until they begin to soften. Add the blackberries and blueberries and toss; cook 30 seconds. Add the raspberries and cook 15 seconds. Add the currants and wild strawberries, if using; toss and cook 15 seconds. Sprinkle cardamom over the berries and toss again. Remove from heat.
To serve: Place 8 glasses on doilies on dessert plates. Fill the glasses three-fourths of the way to the top. Sprinkle crumble over the berries in each glass. Form ice cream quenelles and place one on top of the crumble in each glass.
