An easy and elegant way to highlight beautiful berries from the farmers market, my Blueberry Lemon Crumble with Thyme is bursting with flavor and a crunchy oat topping. A touch of lemon and thyme give an unexpected twist that makes this a truly memorable dessert. Serve with vanilla ice cream and prepare for happy guests!
For readers of The Mid Century Modern Romantic, you know I have a bit of an aversion to desserts that rely on any kind of cake decorating or lattice making. While I love to bake, I leave those crafts to the truly talented artisans that can make that effort look gorgeous. Me? I’m more likely to make a decorated dessert look like a misadventure. I love to focus on desserts that allow the ingredients to really shine through and be their own star.
A crumble is absolutely perfect for this because it comes together so easily and bakes quickly. This type of dessert feels like something grandma used to make on a laid back Sunday evening.
My blueberry crumble has all those grounded sense of familiarity, but is given a few twists to feel more modern. The lemon in both the blueberry and the oat topping makes the entire dish feel lighter and fresher. I love that combo when mixed with the sweetness of the blueberries. A hit of thyme in both layers also brings an herbal note that’s unexpected but complements the lemon really well.
This dessert features in my Romantic Farmers Market Dinner Menu. That menu focuses on recipes that can be adapted to the beautiful produce at the farmers market. It kicks off with a refreshing cucumber cocktail before moving in to a roasted carrot tart that’s incredibly flavorful and welcoming. The crumble puts the exclamation point on the meal and is beautifully vibrant in color.
Try my Blueberry Lemon Crumble for a dessert that’s rustic but still really elegant and special. This dessert feels like Spring sunshine. It’s a gorgeous way to highlight the bounty of the farmers market at mealtime.
Blueberry Lemon Crumble with Thyme
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Prepare a 9×9" pan.
- In a large bowl, mix together the filling: blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, thyme, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Mix until incorporated then transfer to the 9×9" baking pan.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, thyme, rolled oats, brown sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Add in the butter pieces and use your hands or a pastry cutter to mix altogether until you get a sand-like mixture.
- Scatter the topping over the blueberry mixture.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown.
- Let the crumble cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Hosting Notes From My Table
- The blueberry crumble is delicious served warm. If you would like to make in advance, store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve, then warm gently in the oven.
- I like to serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
- The idea of this crumble is to buy the berries that look the best at the farmers market to make this. Blueberries are so delicious in it, but if mixed berries are looking better that day, give it a go.
A Sweet Spring
My Blueberry Lemon Crumble with Thyme is the big finisher to my Romantic Farmers Market Dinner Menu. This is a beautiful menu that focuses on the spontaneity of the farmers market to make a glorious meal for friends.
If you enjoy this crumble, try some of my other produce-forward and elegant desserts! You’re sure to love my Strawberry Basil Crostata, which is both stunning to serve and truly delicious. Or Blackberry and Cinnamon Skillet Cake would be an equally amazing dessert to serve with the Romantic Farmers Market Dinner if blackberries catch your eyes at the market. For a light dessert, my Earl Grey Posset is creamy, dreamy, and has the subtle flavors of tea infused in it. And my fan favorite Raspberry Lemon Olive Oil Cake would be another amazing addition to a produce-forward dinner menu.
