Though a mixture of berries offers a wonderful combination of color, flavor, and texture, it’s also fine to use just one or two types of berries. One-half pint of fresh berries equals about one cup of fruit. Later in the season, ripe, peeled peach or nectarine slices can be used in combination with blueberries or raspberries. We recommend using only fresh fruit, but if you must use frozen, raspberries are the best option. Do not thaw them before baking. Avoid using a metal pie pan that may react with the acidity of the fruit and impart an “off” metallic flavor. Serve the fruit gratin with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Serves 4 to 6
| Fruit Mixture | |
| 4 | cups berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries, hulled and left whole if small, halved lengthwise if medium, quartered lenngthwise if large) |
| 1 | tablespoon granulated sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon Kirsch (optional) or other eau de vie |
| pinch table salt | |
| Topping | |
| 3 | slices white sandwich bread , each slice torn into quarters |
| 2 | tablespoons unsalted butter , softened |
| 1/4 | cup packed light brown sugar or dark brown sugar |
| pinch ground cinnamon | |
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss fruit gently with sugar, kirsch (if using), and salt in medium non-reactive bowl and transfer to 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan.
2. Pulse bread, butter, sugar, and cinnamon in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over fruit and bake until crumbs are deep golden brown and fruit is hot, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes and serve.
– Erin Wulff