We grow a lot of our own soft fruits in our garden . . . tay berries (a cross between a black and rasp berry), raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, strawberries and black currants. They all start to ripen about the same time. And right now is the peak time for the logan, rasp and strawberries, and the black currants. Oh and gooseberries. The blueberries are not quite ready yet, but in a few weeks they will begin . . .
I'm not complaining! But it's either a glut day or a day when there is not enough of any one in particular to do anything with, but you know if you leave them they will rot day, and so today Todd came in with a big bowl of mixed berries. What to do . . . what to do . . .
A slump is always a welcome dish around here. Todd's eyes light up when I make a slump . . . I think it's the buttery dumplings on top . . . he is a dumpling man, and these dumplings are sweet and buttery . . .
And oh so light . . . like little fluffy puffs of air. He does love a good dumpling . . . almost as much as he loves stewed fruit . . . and when your fruit is a tasty mix like this . . . well, he is a very happy man!
The fruit is not overly sweet, which is good. I like my fruit a bit on the tart side, but you can add more sugar if you want to. The mix of berries is nice . . . they kind of play off each other . . . sweet tayberries, strawberries, raspberries . . . tart black currants and gooseberries . . . perfect. Together in this combination . . . bumble berries.
It's a very tasty dessert. Don't be tempted to lift the lid off the dumplings when they are cooking. They won't cook properly if you do. I use a glass lid . . . that way I can tell that they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Served up with lashings of double cream coz we are really naughty that way . . .
*Bumbleberry Slump*Serves 6Printable Recipe
A mix of summer berries, sweetened and simmered on the stove, with buttery dumplings which steam on top. Delicious with cream or ice cream.
For the berries:4 cups fresh berries (I used strawberries, blueberries, tayberries, gooseberries and black currants) (600g)1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar (depending on the sweetness of your berries) ( 95- 145g)1/4 tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp fresh lemon juice1 tsp lemon zet1/3 cup water (78ml)
For the dumplings:1 cup plain flour (140g)1 1/2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp salt2 TBS sugar2 TBS cold butter1/3 cup whole milk (78ml)
Cream or ice cream to serve
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, or rub in quickly with your fingertips until the four resembles coarse meal. Add the milk all at once and stir just to moisten the flour. Shape into a ball and set aside. Try not to handle the dough too much.
Place the berries, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest and juice and water in a medium deep skillet. Stir to coat the berries, and then bring to the boil. Pinch off large lumps of dough and drop them onto the boiling berries. You should get six dumplings. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes without peeking at the dumplings. To serve, spoon some of the fruit into each of six dessert bowls and top each with a dumpling. Serve warm with ice cream or pouring cream. Delicious!
