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A strawberry crumble with vanilla ice cream, basil.

Strawberry Crisp with Balsamic and Brown Butter Crumble

Allie Hagerty
This strawberry crisp is made with fresh strawberries tossed in aged balsamic vinegar and black pepper, topped with a brown butter oat crumble with sliced almonds and baked until deeply golden and bubbling. Serve straight from the oven with vanilla bean ice cream, fresh basil, and lemon zest. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving so the filling sets. Ready in about 55 minutes and worth every single minute!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl
  • Small saucepan
  • Medium Mixing Bowl
  • fork
  • 2-quart baking dish or deep 9-inch pie dish
  • Rubber spatula

Ingredients
  

For the balsamic strawberries:

  • 2 ¼ pounds strawberries hulled and halved (quartered if large)
  • 3 tablespoons good aged balsamic vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • Scant ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the brown butter crumble:

  • 12 tablespoons 1½ sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1⅛ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

To serve:

  • Vanilla bean ice cream
  • 8 –10 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon zested
  • ¾ teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, toss the strawberries with the balsamic, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Let sit while you make the topping, stirring once or twice — the sugar and cornstarch will start pulling juice from the berries and thickening it into a light syrup.
    2 ¼ pounds strawberries, 3 tablespoons good aged balsamic vinegar, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, Pinch kosher salt, Scant ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it foams, turns golden, and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl, stir in the vanilla extract, and set aside to cool slightly.
    12 tablespoons 1½ sticks unsalted butter
  • In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, almonds, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Pour the cooled brown butter over the dry mixture and toss with a fork until it forms small, even clumps.
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1⅛ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup sliced almonds, ½ cup light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190°C). Pour the strawberry mixture into a 2-quart baking dish or deep 9-inch pie dish. Top evenly with the crumble, breaking up any large clumps as you go.
  • Bake until the topping is deep golden and the juices are bubbling at the edges, 32 to 38 minutes.
  • Let the crumble rest for 5 minutes before serving — the filling needs a minute to set, and it gives the ice cream a fighting chance not to vanish on contact.
  • Spoon into bowls, top with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, a scatter of basil, a few strokes of lemon zest, and a pinch of flaky salt. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Don't skip the 5 minute rest. The filling needs time to set after it comes out of the oven; serve it too soon and it'll be too loose. 5 minutes is all it takes and it gives the ice cream a fighting chance not to vanish on contact!
  • Use good quality aged balsamic. This is the ingredient that makes this crisp special. Cheap balsamic is too sharp and too thin; aged balsamic is sweet, thick, and complex. It's worth seeking out!
  • Watch the brown butter closely. It goes from perfectly nutty to burnt in under a minute. Pull it off the heat the second it turns golden and smells like hazelnuts; the residual heat will keep working.
  • Let the brown butter cool before adding it to the dry ingredients. Too-hot butter melts the sugar instead of forming clumps. You want small even clumps in your topping, not a paste!
  • Serve immediately once you've scooped. The ice cream melting into the hot crisp is the whole point of this dessert. Don't let it sit!
  • Storage: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in a 325F oven for 10-12 minutes until warmed through and the topping re-crisps. The topping will soften in the fridge so reheating is key!

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 7gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.002gSodium: 203mgPotassium: 439mgFiber: 7gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 24IUVitamin C: 110mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 3mg
Keyword strawberry
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