Mario's Weekend Cooking Challange: Blackberry-Blueberry Crumble

Mario's Weekend Cooking Challenge is a Facebook Group for people to get together, once a month and cook the same recipe, compare notes and discuss outcomes. It is put together by Mario Bosquez host of "Living Today" on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112 & XM 157

This months challenge was a "sweet" one! Blackberry Blueberry Crumble. A delicious mix of some of summer's tastiest offerings! The fast and simple recipe was provided by Chef Kate Goodyear and can be obtained here: Blackberry-Blueberry Crumble

First, you want to combine your berries, with some brown sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice.

Place your berry mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Mix together your topping ingredients of flour, oats, white & brown sugar, ground ginger, salt and butter. Mix it, by hand (make sure you wash your hands first!), to obtain medium to large "crumbles".

Spread the topping evenly over the berries.

Bake at 350° for about 40-50 minutes until it's golden brown & bubbly! The scent of this baking is heavenly!

Serve this warm or at room temperature with a generous scoop of buttermilk or vanilla ice cream!

This treat couldn't be easier to prepare and will be loved by all! You can also substitute other berries, as well as stone fruits like peaches and plums!

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Recently, my sister and her family took a trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to visit our father, who lives up there. When they returned home, they brought with them an abundance of plump Michigan Blueberries! She presented me with a basket of blueberries and wanted me to make something with them.
Not wanting to do the usual muffins or boring blueberry pancakes, I came upon this easy recipe for a delicious blueberry crumb cake. Definitely worth baking up and trying! This recipe comes from the May 2004 issue of Everyday Food Magazine.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

First, you'll want to make the streusel topping by combining some flour, brown sugar, salt & butter.

The topping should have large moist crumbs. Place in the refrigerator until needed.

Ingredients for the cake include butter, flour, baking powder & soda, sugar, salt, allspice, egg, buttermilk and blueberries!

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt & allspice in a bowl, set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, beat well, add flour mixture and buttermilk, alternately, until just combined. Batter will be very stiff.

Toss the blueberries with a teaspoon of flour (this will keep the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake).

Gently fold the blueberries into the batter; spoon into prepared pan.

Sprinkle cake with streusel topping. Bake until golden brown and a tester comes out clean.

Let cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar before cutting into squares!

Enjoy!