Summer Berry Brown Betty

 

 I've been revelling in the abundance of summer berries at the moment . . . currants, early raspberries and blackberries. cherries, blueberries. I do so love summer!

   

 I found myself today with a glut of berries in the refrigerator, bit and bobs leftover from this week's splurges and pickings.

   

 We are very fond of Apple Brown Betty in the autumn . . . 

buttery bread crumbs, layered with sliced sweetened apples and baked until the apples are all meltingly tender and the bottom and top layer of crumbs crunchy and buttery and well. . . 

what can I say . . . the whole thing is moreishly scrummy to say the least!

   

 I thought to myself today . . . what better way to use up all the berries before they go off than to make a Brown Betty with them.

   

 I had some Brioche that needed using up too and so I turned it into crumbs and mixed them with some melted butter to layer between the fruit. 

   

 The fruit, I tossed together with some lemon juice, brown sugar, flour and nutmeg . . . The two layered into individual ramekins and then baked until scrummy yummy! 

 We both thoroughly enjoyed with some double cream poured over top. Sigh . . . summer and heaven tucked into a buttery bowl together. Truly a delight!

 

*Summer Berry Brown Betty* 

Serves 4 

Printable Recipe 

 A twist on an old fashioned favourite dessert. Buttered Brioche crumbs layered with sweetened and lightly spiced summer berries. Delicious! 

 9 ounces of mixed summer berries, (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, currants, cherries, etc. 3 cups) 

1 1/2 tsp of fresh lemon juice 

5 TBS unsalted butter, melted 

1 TBS granulated sugar 

6 ounces of fresh brioche crumbs (2 cups) 

2.5 ounces soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup packed) 

2 TBS plain flour 

a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 

pouring cream, custard, or clotted cream to serve 

 Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. 

 Brush 4 glass ramekins with 1 TBS of the melted butter. Dust the insides with the granulated sugar. Place on a baking sheet and set aside. 

 Mix all the berries in a bowl with the lemon juice. Set aside to macerate for a few minutes, while you get the rest of the ingredients ready. 

 Mix the brioche crumbs with the remainder of the melted butter, tossing to coat evenly. 

 Sprinkle the berries with the brown sugar, flour and nutmeg, Gently mix together. 

 Place 1/3 of the bread crumbs in the bottoms of each of the ramekins. Top with half of the fruit mixture, dividing it equally amongst the ramekins. Top with another third of the crumbs, and then the other half of the fruit. Finally top with the remainder of the crumbs. 

 Gently press down on the layers. 

 Bake for about 20 minutes until the crumbs are golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to lukewarm. Serve and pass the cream, custard or clotted cream!

   

 And then . . . there was none . . .