Nothing takes away the winter chill better than a hot baked crumble. My version has a slightly decadent feel to it. The addition of dried cherries and chocolate not only add texture to the crumble, but a beautiful richness that blends well with the pears and blueberries. I would certainly recommend a big scoop of vanilla ice cream as the final crown on this simple classic. Serve warm, and provide your guests with a blanket and comfy slippers!

Serves 6 to 8
Preheat oven at 350 degrees

Filling
6 ripe pears (Bartlet or Anjou). Peeled and sliced (reserve in lemon water).
2 cups frozen blueberries
½ cup dried cherries
4 Tbsp. flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cardamom
¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
¼ cup melted butter
½ tsp. salt

Crumble
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup sugar
¾ cup butter, cut into small cubes
½ cup chopped dark chocolate

Method
All items for the filling can be tossed together in a large bowl. There is no set technique at this point, just mix well. Pour contents into a medium size oven safe casserole dish. A Pyrex dish works well for crumbles. Make sure everything is evenly distributed throughout the dish and that the filling is at least two inches deep.

The crumble can be flaked together with a fork or your fingers. Again, toss all the ingredients together and crumble until the butter works its way throughout all of the dry ingredients. Place the crumble on top of the filling and gently distribute over the entire surface. Bake the crumble for approximately 1 hour, until the crust is golden brown. Place on a rack to cool slightly. But of course, you can dig in right away, just watch out for the top of your mouth!

Recipe by Mina Petrovich of A Moveable Feast Cafe & Catering Co. www.amoveablefeastcafe.com

Copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Feb - Mar 08