Spring always brings me back to crisps, especially once the berries start piling up on the counter and the kitchen fills with flowers again. This one begins with blueberries tossed with lilac sugar and lemon zest, then folded with sour cream. The filling is lush and jammy, the lilac soft in the background. A buttery vanilla crumble settles over the top, baking golden and craggy as the berries release beneath. It’s the kind of dessert I love this time of year — simple, unfussy, and full of ripe fruit.
Lilac sugar is mixed straight into the berries here, melting into the fruit as it bakes. If you don’t have it, pulse a teaspoon of dried culinary lavender with the sugar instead, or skip the florals for a classic crumble. The sour cream folded through the berries gives the filling a creamy, custardy set and softens the sweetness. The streusel can be made ahead and kept in the fridge, scattered straight over the berries while still cold.
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Blueberry Lilac Crumble
Ingredients
Blueberry filling
6 cups (about 840 g) blueberries, preferably fresh
½ cup (100 g) lilac sugar
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup (120 g) sour cream or crème fraîche
¼ teaspoon salt
Streusel topping
1 1/3 cup (175 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch baking dish, or a deep 8-inch dish that comfortably holds the fruit.
- In a large bowl, toss the blueberries with the lilac sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, and salt until evenly coated. Gently fold in the sour cream or crème fraîche until the berries are just coated and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- To make the streusel, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and cold butter, then work the mixture together with your fingers until it forms large, irregular crumbs with some sandy bits.
- Scatter the streusel generously over the blueberry filling.
- Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Let the crumble cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or on its own.
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