The crumble may have originated in Britain or Ireland or even America — nobody seems to know for sure — but the French have embraced it so wholeheartedly that it now pops up on menus of Parisian restaurants both humble and grand. Variations created over here include crumbles with everything from veggies to chicken to nuts. The fruit crumble, however, is the origin of the species, and among fruit crumbles, my favorites are with berries — black currants, red currants, blackberries or, as in this recipe, with blueberries.
Crumble aux myrtilles / Blueberry crumble
This is not to discount the evident merits of apple or rhubarb crumble, not to mention peach or plum, which stand out as crowdpleasers in midsummer. But berries retain a seductive musky flavor linked to their woodsy origins. And the berry crumble has another advantage: its simplicity. A child of 10 can easily throw one together, as I learned when my daughter insisted on making one herself a few years back. It took me 10 minutes last night to make the crumble shown above, not counting baking time — 5 minutes for the berries and 5 for the crumbly topping. Try it, and let me know how it turns out.
The Everyday French Chef will be back on Monday. Happy cooking!
