Individual berry crisps are the perfect contribution to the next dinner party you attend. Don’t forget the ice cream!

The Recipe: Individual Berry Crisps (Gluten-Free & Whole Grain)

Does anyone else go a little overboard this time of year with seasonal fruit? If so, these individual berry crisps are a sweet way to use that abundance. Pre-portioning these berry crisps in individual ramekins makes them easy to pack and share at small dinner parties too.  Make your own whipped cream to share, or if you’re local to Pittsburgh, share a pint of Millie’s raspberry ice cream for an even more intense summer fruit experience.

This recipe is adapted slightly from the genius book, Alternative Baker by Alanna Taylor-Tobin, the creative and culinary force behind the blog, The Bojon Gourmet. I’ve been baking my way through the book’s pages, attempting to try everything.

The Personal: Individual Berry Crisps & Summer Bucket Lists

As June came to a close, Dylan and I swayed in a hammock atop a tree-lined hill. The pups circled their leashes around our support trees while we schemed and dreamed how to fill the summer with intention. What would we do to embrace the heat? Where would we go to find quiet? What activities would we remember years from now? The Summer 2021 Bucket List emerged on the page.

I needed that moment, that pause, that compass as the days felt like they were slipping away. This summer has been a stark contrast to the last. The pandemic brought me a quiet I didn’t know I needed. I had time to appreciate such delicate seasonal shifts and spend many a day cloaked in nature. These were privileges I did not take lightly.

This year, however, my work poured in like never before. I felt caught in a dizzying dance of gratitude for the financial security and the exhaustion of the pacing. I felt as if the world were sprinting past me toward everything once deemed “normal,” and I wanted to cry out, “WAIT! Aren’t we going to talk about any of this?!?”

The contrast and change of it all hit me unexpectedly, knocked me down, really, and forced me to process.  I can’t go back to last summer, but I can acknowledge the differences. I can be grateful for what last summer was while leaning into the joys of this summer: adventuring with our new pup, Maple Le, rooftop access that has me dreaming up Moroccan-inspired hangouts, the mouthwatering smell of smoked-chicken dinner parties, collaborative salads, and baking individual berry crisps for the best of friends.

As we continue through this season, we might or might not cross off all the items on our dream list. We might encounter new ideas and adventures that leave us pleasantly surprised. Either way, what I want to remember and to guide me is a little mantra Dylan assigned me, “Make a choice, and have fun”… and then get ice cream! (I added that last part, obviously.) And I want to be grateful all along the way.

What’s on your bucket lists this summer?

The Mint ‘n Maple Corner:

Together in one photo at last! Now you know I haven’t forgotten about my beloved firstborn, Julep. Here they are living their best summer lives in rural Maryland. Barking at cows? Rolling in cow shit? Bathing in Dawn dish soap? Yes, they can cross all of those items off their summer bucket lists. They’re ready for more!

You Might Also Like: Red, White & Blue Millet Skillet Cake

Though very in theme with the Fourth of July, there’s no need to wait another year for this Millet Skillet Cake from my book, The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook. A combination of almond flour and millet flour make for a tender crumb that’s bursting with juicy mixed berries.

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Individual Berry Crisps

These individual berry crisps are the perfect contribution to the next dinner party you attend. Don't forget the ice cream!

Course: Dessert

Keyword: gluten-free

Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 4 cups mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries & cherries)
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tbs (75 g) packed organic light or dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp (5 g) cornstarch
• ½ medium lemon, finely zested
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

For the Crumble:

• ¼ cup plus 2 Tbs (45 g) buckwheat flour
• 2 Tbsp (15 g) sweet white rice flour
• 1 Tbsp (6 g) tapioca flour/starch
• ½ cup (50 g) GF old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ cup (50 g) packed organic light or dark brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 Tbsp (56 g) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

To Serve:

• Ice cream or fresh whipped cream

Directions

For the Filling:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350°F. Place six 4-ounce (112 mL) ovenproof ramekins or canning jars on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
• In a large bowl, toss the mixed berries with the brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt until well combined.
• Divide the fruit among the ramekins. Bake until bubbling, 20-25 minutes. In the meantime, make the crumble.

For the Crumble:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buckwheat, sweet rice, and tapioca flours with the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter. Beat on medium-low speed until the mixture forms large, moist clumps, about 3 minutes.
• When the fruit has baked, crumble the topping over, squeezing some into roughly hazelnut-sized chunks and leaving the rest loose - don’t pack it down. Bake the crisps until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling furiously, 20-30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.

To Serve & Store:

• Serve the crisps warm or at room temperature, topped with a scoop of ice cream or fresh whipped cream, if desired.
• The crisps are best when freshly baked, but extra will keep, refrigerated airtight, for up to 3 days.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from the cookbook, Alternative Baker by Alanna Taylor-Tobin.