Words: Chef Will Bee
This is such a great recipe for any time of year, especially Autumn. The bars are made using an easy method and they taste incredible. It can be saved in an airtight container in the fridge, but I recommend eating them fresh. I like to serve them with either hot vanilla custard or a smooth vanilla crème Chantilly. The herbs add a different savoury dimension to this sweet dessert.
Furthermore, it can be developed for gluten free and vegan requirements by switching the gluten free flour or using a dairy free butter and just leave out the egg.
Ingredients:
Crumble:
350g plain flour
100g oats
100g light brown soft sugar
100g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
½ nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
225g unsalted butter
Filing:
550g blueberries
100g caster sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
½ lemon, juiced
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
4 mint leaves, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 190°c. Grease and line a baking tray 9x13 inch/ 33x23cm.
For the Crumble:
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, caster, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla together. Add both the whisked egg and the diced butter into the flour mix and rub together in your fingertips until it resembles a coarse crumble texture.
For the Blueberries
Next prepare the blueberries.
In a bowl, mix together the lemon juice, herbs, sugar and corn flour till a paste. Add the blueberries and coat all the fruit.
Begin building the crumble, press half the crumble mix in the bottom of the baking tray. Evenly spread the blueberries on top of the pressed crumble. Finish by sprinkling the rest of the crumble mixture on top of the blueberries and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Leave to cool for 20 minutes. Alternatively, eat it hot after 5 minutes rest.
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