Features Pies Recipes
Bakers Formula: Cherry Crumble

This inviting cherry crumble is sure to satisfy a group gathered together to celebrate a special occasion.

Filling 

• Frozen IQF sour cherries 500 g
• Fruit juice, if available cherry 600 ml (from 500 g cherries)
• Sugar 150 g
• Corn starch 80 g

1. Place IQF (individually quick frozen) cherries and fruit juice in a bowl and defrost cherries.
2. Separate cherries and juice and keep separate. This should give you approximately 600 ml juice and 400 g cherries.
3. Place 400 ml juice into an 8-quart or bigger pot.
4. Add the 150 g of sugar and bring the mixture to a boil.
5. In the meantime, combine the remaining 200 ml of cherry juice and 80 g of corn starch.
6. When the sugar and cherry juice comes to a boil, stream in the corn starch juice mixture and bring to a quick boil to thicken the filling.
7. Add the cherries and gently fold them into the cooked filling.
8. Let cool before using.

Crumble  

• Butter, unsalted 454 g
• Sugar 454 g
• Whole egg (1)   50 g 
• Vanilla (your choice) to taste
• Flour (your choice) 908 g 

1. Place softened butter and sugar into a 20-quart mixing bowl.
2. Using the paddle attachment, cream sugar and butter
3. Add the egg and vanilla and blend until both have incorporated.
4. Change mixing speed to slow.
5. Add flour to the mixing bowl. Start blending on slow speed until the desired crumble size is reached.
6. Tip: don’t overmix: you may want to finish the blending process by hand.

Assembly

1. Line a cake tin, round or square, with parchment paper on the bottom and sides (to prevent post-bake sticking).
2. Use 60% of the crumble to create the bottom and sides of your crumble. Make sure both bottom and sides are firmly compressed to look almost like a sugar dough consistency.
3. Place cherry filling into the prepared cake tin. How much, I leave that up to you and your taste.
4. Top the cherry filling with the remaining crumble.
5. Tip: Spray a little water onto the crumble before baking to make everything stick together.

Baking

1. Bake at 190 C (375 F) for approximately 30 minutes, possibly more, as it depends on your oven and how much filling you used. 
2. Bake well, until gold to dark brown.
3. Let your cherry crumble cool down, place in cooler until totally chilled before flipping the baking tin to remove the crumble. Mind you, if you prefer using a baking sheet, this last step will not be necessary. / BJ

Peter Jacobs is a Certified Master Baker, technical advisor and consultant. He owns and operates The Bakers Workshop in Udora, Ont.