Blueberry Cinnamon Brown Betty

This is a classic summer dessert.  The recipe came from the July 1989 Cook’s Magazine, the precursor to Cook’s illustrated magazine.  It is credited to Marian Morash, author of the Victory Garden Cookbook. 

I make this with other fruit besides blueberries.  Feel free to substitute equal amounts of strawberries and rhubarb; apples; peaches; cherries; all are wonderful with the crumb topping.  You may need to add some sugar to the fruit if it is too sour. 

The topping may be made ahead and frozen, which really makes for a quick summer dessert.  Many times I make the full topping, use half and freeze half.

This feeds 10-12

Ingredients:

Topping:

• ½ lb (2 sticks) melted unsalted butter
• 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
• 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups packed (1 lb) brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Blueberries:

• 3 ½ pints blueberries, rinsed and picked over
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca flour
• 5 tablespoons lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)

Directions:

1.      Heat oven to 350 degrees

2.      Mix all topping ingredients in a large bowl, by hand or in a mixer with the paddle attachment.

3.      Mix blueberries, cornstarch, and lemon juice together in a separate bowl.

4.      Sprinkle 1/3 of topping over the bottom of a buttered 9 X 13 inch baking dish.

5.      Spread blueberries in an even layer on top.

6.      Sprinkle the remaining topping over the blueberries

7.      Bake for 40-60 minutes until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

8.      Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

9.      This may sit overnight at room temperature covered with plastic wrap.