Betty's, Buckles, Cobblers, Crumbles and Crisps…oh my!

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a crisp and a cobbler?  What about brown betty’s and buckles?  (To be honest, I don’t think I had ever heard of a buckle until I found this recipe.)  The one commonality I do know is that all of them are wonderful ways to put fresh summer fruit to use and Tim loves them all!

Let me share with you what I learned about each of these wonderful fruit desserts (courtesy of Wikipedia and “What’s Cooking America.net”):

Brown Betties are made with bread crumbs (or bread pieces, or graham cracker crumbs), and fruit, usually diced apples, in alternating layers; they’re baked covered, and have a consistency like bread pudding.  Betty was a popular baked pudding made during colonial times in America.

Buckles are a type of cake made in a single layer with berries added to the batter.

Cobblers are an American deep-dish fruit dessert or pie with a thick crust (usually a biscuit crust) and a fruit filling (such as peaches, apples, berries). Some versions are enclosed in the crust, while others have a drop-biscuit or crumb topping.

Crisps are baked with the fruit mixture on the bottom with a crumb topping. The crumb topping can be made with flour, nuts, bread crumbs, cookie or graham cracker crumbs, or even breakfast cereal.

Crumbles are the British version of the American Crisp.

I chose to make this buckle recipe because it looked so simple to make yet very tasty!  The buckle took less than 15 minutes to prepare (not including baking time).  I topped with both red and golden raspberries.

You serve the buckle in the baking dish and just spoon it out.  It was much moister than I expected.  Lots of buttery sweetness!  I served the buckle with a scoop of local Berkshire Vanilla Ice Cream.

Based on the paltry leftovers, I think everyone enjoyed it!

buckle1

Raspberry Buckle
Everyday Food

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 containers (1/2 pint each) raspberries (2 3/4 cups)
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
  • Whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart oval or square baking dish. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition to combine. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder; with mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture until incorporated.

Spread batter in baking dish. Scatter raspberries on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and top is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes; dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. With a large spoon, scoop out onto serving plates; serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.



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