Summer Berry Gratin
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
Fruit mixture
- 4 ½ cups (about 22 ounces) mixed raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, and Strawberries (hulled and left whole if small halved lengthwise if medium, quartered lengthwise if large)
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Kirsch or other eau de vie (optional)
- pinch salt
- 1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped
- 3 Slices sandwich bread, each slice torn into quarters
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup packed (1 3/4 ounces) light or dark Brown sugar
- pinch nutmeg
- pinch ground cinnamon
- whipped cream
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 400°. Toss the fruit gently with the sugar, kirsch (if using), and salt in a medium nonreactive bowl and transfer to a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate.
- Pulse the bread, butter, brown sugar, chopped almonds, nutmeg, and cinnamon in food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit and bake until the crumbs are deep golden brown and fruit is hot, 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes and serve.
- Avoid using a metal pie pan, which may react with the acidity of the fruit and impact a metallic flavor. Use a glass or ceramic pie dish. Serve the fruit gratin with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
