Bettys, Buckles, Crumbles, And Crisps

Whether you call it a Betty or a buckle, a crisp, crumble, or pandowdy, or a cobbler or grunt—you can come up with a fruit dessert to tickle anyone’s fancy. Bettys, buckles, and grunts have been around as long as the Yankee-inspired pandowdy, and cobblers are favorites of just about everyone.

BLUEBERRY PANDOWDY
1-1/2 cups heavy cream (you can use fat-free)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
4 pints blueberries
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup light molasses
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Whipped cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 375°. Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold whipped cream into flour mixture just until combined. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Set aside.

Toss blueberries with cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. Transfer to a 9-inch baking dish and drizzle with molasses and butter pieces. Carefully cover with dough and tuck dough into edges of mixture. Cut slits in dough to vent. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with additional whipped cream sweetened with molasses if desired. Serves 6-8.

APPLE BROWN BETTY
4 cups torn breadcrumbs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Whipped cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly butter a 2-quart casserole. Stir together breadcrumbs and butter and set aside. Combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and ginger, and mix until well-blended. Spread half the buttered breadcrumbs on bottom of the casserole and cover with half the apple mixture. Repeat layering. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes. Serves 6.

PEACH CRISP
5 cups frozen peaches, sliced
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups oats
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°. Place fruit and its juice in a 13×9-inch baking dish. Mix together white sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Pour over fruit and lightly mix together. Mix brown sugar, butter, oats, and chopped nuts together and sprinkle over fruit mixture. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 6-8.

BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE
2 cups blackberries, rinsed
2/3 cup sugar
Juice of one lemon
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place blackberries in a 1-quart baking dish with half the sugar. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Cream butter, remaining sugar, flour, and salt together. Sprinkle over berries. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Serve warm with cream, whipped cream, or ice cream. Serves 4.

EASIEST FRUIT COBBLER
4 oz. butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
Dash of salt
1 can of your favorite fruit pie filling

Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Mix all remaining ingredients except fruit in a mixing bowl. Pour this mixture over melted butter. Pour pie filling over top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 8.

RHUBARB PANDOWDY
3 cups cooked rhubarb
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Large can of biscuits (or you may use homemade biscuit dough)
Butter

Pour all ingredients, except biscuits and butter, into greased baking dish. Cover with biscuits and dot with butter. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Serve in individual dishes. Serves 6.

Coming Next Month: Oodles of Noodles