Winter Berry Crumble Custard (Print Version)

A warm crumble featuring winter berries with a golden topping and rich custard accompaniment.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit Filling

01 - 17.6 oz mixed frozen winter berries (blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries)
02 - 0.28 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
04 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Crumble Topping

06 - 1.25 cups plain flour
07 - 1 cup rolled oats
08 - 7 oz cold unsalted butter, diced
09 - 0.5 cup light brown sugar
10 - 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
11 - Pinch of salt

→ Custard

12 - 2 cups whole milk
13 - 0.42 cup double cream
14 - 4 large egg yolks
15 - 0.27 cup caster sugar
16 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
17 - 2 tbsp cornstarch

# How-To Steps:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
02 - In a large bowl, gently toss berries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until evenly coated. Spread the mixture evenly in a 8x12 inch baking dish.
03 - Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. Rub in the cold butter with fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Evenly distribute the crumble topping over the berry mixture in the baking dish.
05 - Place the dish in the oven and bake for 35 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling.
06 - In a saucepan, warm the milk and cream together until steaming but not boiling.
07 - In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, and cornstarch together until smooth.
08 - Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper the eggs.
09 - Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (approximately 5 minutes); avoid boiling.
10 - Remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine sieve into a jug.
11 - Serve the warm berry crumble with generous portions of custard poured over.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It uses frozen berries, so you can make it any time without hunting for perfect fruit.
  • The oat crumble adds texture that plain topping just doesn't give you.
  • Homemade custard sounds fancy but it's just stirring, and it tastes miles better than anything from a carton.
02 -
  • Don't let the custard boil or it will curdle into scrambled eggs, I learned this the hard way twice.
  • If your crumble topping is browning too fast, cover it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
  • The custard will thicken more as it cools, so if it seems a bit thin when you take it off the heat, just wait a minute.
03 -
  • Use a baking dish that's not too deep, a shallow one lets the crumble get crispier and the fruit caramelizes at the edges.
  • If you want extra-thick custard, add another teaspoon of cornstarch, but stir it constantly or it will catch on the bottom of the pan.
  • Taste the berry mixture before you bake it, if it's too tart, stir in another tablespoon of sugar now rather than trying to fix it later.

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