With tangy gooseberries, apples, and a hint of cinnamon, this crumble is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. A lovely fall dessert.
Gooseberries might not be the most well-known berry, but they certainly deserve a spot in your kitchen. These small, translucent green berries, also known as “Angrešt” in some regions, are native to Europe, northwest Africa, and southwestern Asia. Gooseberries come in green or purplish hues and offer a unique taste that’s both tart and slightly sweet. Their texture is similar to a grape, with a firm exterior and soft interior. Some varieties even have a thin, fuzzy layer on the skin.
Due to their tartness, gooseberries are commonly used in desserts like crumbles and pies, where the sweetness of other ingredients can balance their flavor. Their short growing season means they’re a special find—so don’t miss out when you spot them at the market!
Gooseberries pair beautifully with apples and raspberries in this crumble, creating a deliciously light dessert perfect for the warm days of summer or the cozy evenings of fall. Top it with a scoop of ice cream, and you’ll have a delightful treat that highlights the natural flavors of these lesser-known berries.
How to Make Gooseberry, Apple, and Raspberry Crumble
1. Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 392°F (200°C).
- Lightly grease two small ramekins or a medium-sized baking dish with butter. Set them aside.
2. Prepare the Fruit Filling:
- Wash the gooseberries, halve them, and remove any stems.
- Dice the apple into small, evenly sized cubes to ensure even cooking.
- In a large bowl, gently toss together the gooseberries, apple, raspberries, brown sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
3. Prepare the Crumble Topping:
- In a food processor, pulse the almonds until they are ground into a coarse meal. Alternatively, you can chop them finely by hand.
- In a separate bowl, combine the ground almonds, rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Slowly add the yogurt to the dry ingredients, mixing with a fork until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. If the crumble seems too dry, you can add a bit more yogurt or a tablespoon of melted butter to get the right texture.
4. Assemble the Crumble:
- Divide the fruit filling evenly between your prepared ramekins or baking dish.
- Sprinkle the crumble mixture generously over the fruit, ensuring it covers the filling completely.
5. Bake:
- Place the ramekins or baking dish in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the crumble topping turns golden brown and crisp.
- The fruit should be bubbly, and the top should have a nice, toasted texture.
6. Cool and Serve:
- Let the crumbles cool for about 5 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set slightly while still being warm and comforting.
- Serve as is, or pair with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of crème fraîche.
Recipe Notes
- Ingredient Swap: If gooseberries aren’t available, you can substitute with more raspberries or use another tart fruit like cranberries.
- Texture Tip: For a crispier crumble, increase the amount of oats or add chopped nuts like pecans or hazelnuts.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the crumble topping in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days, making it easier to assemble when you’re ready to bake.
- Serving Suggestion: This crumble pairs wonderfully with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream for added indulgence.
Gooseberry, Apple, and Raspberry Crumble
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
With tangy gooseberries, raspberries, apples, and a hint of cinnamon, this crumble perfectly sweet and tart. A lovely fall dessert.
Ingredients
For the Fruit Filling:
- 4.5 oz (130g) fresh gooseberries, halved
- 1 small golden apple, diced (about 3.88 oz / 110g)
- 1/2 cup (75g) fresh raspberries
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (15g)
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
For the Crumble Topping:
- 1/4 cup (20g) rolled oats
- 1/4 cup (40g) almonds, processed into coarse meal
- 1/4 cup (40g) whole wheat flour
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (30g)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 cup (40g) plain yogurt (add more if needed)
- 1 tbsp melted butter
Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 392°F (200°C).
- Lightly grease two small ramekins or a medium-sized baking dish with butter. Set them aside.
2. Prepare the Fruit Filling:
- Wash the gooseberries, halve them, and remove any stems.
- Dice the apple into small, evenly sized cubes to ensure even cooking.
- In a large bowl, gently toss together the gooseberries, apple, raspberries, brown sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
3. Prepare the Crumble Topping:
- In a food processor, pulse the almonds until they are ground into a coarse meal. Alternatively, you can chop them finely by hand.
- In a separate bowl, combine the ground almonds, rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Slowly add the yogurt to the dry ingredients, mixing with a fork until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. If the crumble seems too dry, you can add a bit more yogurt or a tablespoon of melted butter to get the right texture.
4. Assemble the Crumble:
- Divide the fruit filling evenly between your prepared ramekins or baking dish.
- Sprinkle the crumble mixture generously over the fruit, ensuring it covers the filling completely.
5. Bake:
- Place the ramekins or baking dish in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the crumble topping turns golden brown and crisp.
- The fruit should be bubbly, and the top should have a nice, toasted texture.
6. Cool and Serve:
- Let the crumbles cool for about 5 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set slightly while still being warm and comforting.
- Serve as is, or pair with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of crème fraîche.
Notes
Ingredient Swap: If gooseberries aren’t available, you can substitute with more raspberries or use another tart fruit like cranberries.
Texture Tip: For a crispier crumble, increase the amount of oats or add chopped nuts like pecans or hazelnuts.
Make Ahead: You can prepare the crumble topping in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days, making it easier to assemble when you’re ready to bake.
Serving Suggestion: This crumble pairs wonderfully with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream for added indulgence.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ramekin
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Crumbles are my favorite desserts. I love them with any kind of fruit, but gooseberries are a novelty. I think I’ve tasted them when I was a little girl, but they’re so hard to find here in Italy! Your crumble look amazing by the way!
Hi Rita,
Yes from what I read about them, they do seem hard to find. Thanks!
They look so cute, kind of remind me of tiny watermelons :) I have heard of them, but never tried them, I haven’t seen them in Croatian markets. This crumble looks like something I would enjoy
Hi Tamara,
Yes they do, don’t they? It’s sounding like I’ve been pretty lucky to find them.
Oh Nancy, you did gooseberries! When I was a kid we had a gooseberry patch on our farm and I used to practically make myself sick on them. But I can’t find them very often anymore. It’s good to see a recipe with them!
Hi Carolyn,
Really? That is so exciting because you are the first one to know gooseberries. Yay! I hope you can find them this season, if it hasn’t ended yet.
What a fun crumble! I just finished writing an article that included gooseberries…I wish I had seen this earlier. They are an interesting berry and even unique here in the US. Your crumble is a perfect home for these little jewels :)
Haha too funny:) I can’t wait to see your article as I’m very curious about these cute berries. Thanks!
I gorged on these berries as a child growing up in Ireland. I absolutely loved them.
Somehow, I seem to remember, they were not a welcomed berry in the US, because they caused a blight or such on a native American tree. I’m afraid I don’t know what tree, nor do I know the source of the sad story. I would be delighted to know more.
LOVE the gooseberry!!!!
We have 2 gooseberry bushes and I just harvested 1 1/2 gallons of them. I will try your crumble tonight.
Can be bought frozen from any good Asian/Indian grocer. Make great jam too.
I am a huge gooseberry fan, and this was delicious!
What a lovely combination of flavors! I didn’t have gooseberries, so I used cranberries instead. Turned out amazing.