Is there a better combination than strawberries and chocolate? And when those strawberries are fresh, in season, local and at peak sweetness, I mean! I’ve made a simple strawberry crumble bar for years, a sugar cookie base with matching crumble. I’ve added herbs and spices to jazz it up, even a little liqueur. But recently, with a punnet of berries on hand a need for a sweet, it occurred to me to try a chocolate version and I must say it was an inspired idea. The cocoa powder adds a rich, chocolatey depth without extra sweetness, all of which comes from beautiful fresh strawberries. The end result is a pretty complex flavor for a pretty simple amount of work.
I love to serve these in squares like a bar cookie, but they are also perfect for serving in a large slap, topped with some whipped cream or ice cream as a plated dessert. The bright red of the strawberries is a little overshadowed by the dark chocolate crumble, but the burst of sweet from the berries is no less magnificent. Be sure to cut the berries into small cubes so they are easy to eat out of hand. Too big and they tend to fall off the crust. Bake for the full 45 minutes after which point the berries should be set and the crust and crumble firm, with no jiggle. Cool completely before slicing. I prefer these on the day they are made, but stored in the fridge they will keep overnight.
Ingredients
- For the Strawberries
1 quart of strawberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
- For the Crumble
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 by 8 inch square baking pan with parchment or non-stick foil with an overhang to lift out the cooked bars.
- For the Strawberries
- Hull the berries and cut them into small pieces. Put them in a small bowl and toss with the sugar and cornstarch to coat completely.
- For the Crumble
- Put the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Cut the butter into small piece and drop into the processor then pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the egg and the vanilla and process until the mixture is damp and crumbly and stays together when you squeeze it between your fingers. Dump 2/3 of the mixture into the pan and press it out into a tight even layer, smoothing the top. Pour the berries over the base, scraping out any liquid in the bowl. Crumble the remaining dough over the top of the berries. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is browning and the berries are set. Cool the bars in the pan, then lift out and cut into squares. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Leave a Reply