Nothing tastes more like summer to me than the sweet, tart, and woodsy flavor of the black raspberry. Every summer as a kid I would scour the fence line for these berries, carefully avoiding the poison ivy and the swarms of mosquito that seem to guard the berries bushes. Not much has changed today, and the many mosquito bites are just a small price to pay for the decadence of this summer treat. While we typically make jam, this year we decided to try something a little different. This wild berry crisp was the perfect way to highlight these beautiful berries and is a recipe that we will be sure to use again and again.
Ingredients:
Berry filling:
- 6 cups of berries (we used black raspberries, red raspberries, and mulberries)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Crisp topping:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving
- Combine the berry filling ingredients and pour into a greased 9x9 pan.
- Next combine the crisp topping using a pastry blender (though I find mixing these ingredients by hand is the easiest route). Mix until course and crumbly.
- Spread evenly over the berry mixture and then bake in a 350-degree oven for about 1 hour. Best served warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
This recipe is quick and easy and best of all can be easily be converted to gluten free and/or vegan. Swap out the all-purpose flour for a gluten free flour or flour blend and replace the butter with a vegan alternative like coconut oil or Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. And finally replace the whipped cream with a whipped coconut cream. We found a pre-made whipped coconut topping and it was fantastic!
Try it out and leave me a comment. I know you will not be disappointed!