I hope you enjoy this issue of Between the Layers! If you like what you read and want to support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. When Blackberry Cobbler Meets Blueberry Crumble - No. 396Peaches + raspberries tag along, too. The best summer crumble and a tribute to dads. Happy Father’s Day!
LAST SUMMER I WAS TEACHING A COOKING class on cobblers and baking not only a lovely peach cobbler but a double-crust blackberry one, too. The night before the class, my granddaughter walked into the kitchen where I was rubbing butter into flour for the pastry and asked if she would get to taste the blackberry crumble after my talk. “It’s a blackberry cobbler I’m making,” I gently corrected her. Then she repeated: “Will I get to taste the blackberry crumble, Nene?” Why argue with a six year old? Blackberries and sugar in a baking pan with strips of pastry laid on top is technically a “cobbler” in my eyes, but when a child is involved, who cares about nomenclature? It could be a crumble, cobbler, “crobbler” or a “cumble.” Doesn’t matter to me.
This wee linguist took years to string together a sentence and we wondered curiously what thoughts were swirling around in her head. Now she could address the United Nations with complex sentences and strategic thought…well that may be a stretch, but we definitely sit up straight when she walks confidently into the room. I adore how she packages words together. And I guess she could taste the sound of “Blackberry Crumble” as it left her lips. I like the sound of it, too and made a mental note to bake blackberry crumble or a crumble of some sort before last summer escaped. But I didn’t. So here we are in summer 2026, and it’s on the menu for Father’s Day.
There’s nothing the grandfather in our house likes better than warm summer fruit pie with cold vanilla ice cream. Bring on the peaches, the berries, the ice cream! Maybe that’s true with most dads. Most humans. And dads deserve something sweet for all the mornings in their lives when they preferred to sleep in but didn’t. At noisy breakfasts, they wanted a peaceful cup of coffee. The crumbs in their car. And as the years passed, the keys to their car. Then the keys to their heart.
For this post I asked my son-in-law, an unapologetic girl dad, a few questions about being a father today:
To all the dads out there, have a Happy Father’s Day! And for all the pie lovers and the crumble lovers, the children and the linguists, this recipe is for you, too. I merged a double-crust blackberry cobbler recipe with a favorite way to make peach crumble, using dark brown sugar for more flavor in the crumble topping. I used every early summer fruit at my disposal—blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches—and each fruit brought something to the final result. The blueberries were naturally sweet, the blackberries added heft and texture. The raspberries added acidity and brightness, and the peaches were just peaches, adding that pop of flavor with each bite. Coming hot out of the oven, I let the crumble cool 15 to 20 minutes before spooning into bowls with cold scoops of ice cream on top. It was perfection. Not too sweet, not too thick, not overcooked. Only the best for dad. Happy Summer! - xo, Anne What are your memories, thoughts about cooking for dad?P.S. Juneteenth is celebrated this Thursday, and I have the perfect Red Drinks for Hot Days recipes.
You know how much I love fruit desserts in summertime! From the archives are these favorites: Edna Lewis’s Virginia Blackberry Cobbler Frances Virginia Peach Cobbler
THE RECIPE: The Best Summer Fruit CrumbleWhat I love about this recipe is that it has both pie crust and crumble topping, pleasing everyone, and both the crust and crumble can be made ahead—even up to two days ahead and stored in the fridge. You use the food processor to make both, and you don’t need to wash the processor between pulsing together the pie crust and the crumble. Yes! Another plus…This recipe preserves the fresh taste of summer fruit by not overcooking it, and it is adaptable to whatever fruit you’ve got. You just need 7 cups fruit. I used a mix of blackberries and blueberries —2 cups each—along with 2 cups sliced peaches and 1 cup raspberries. The result is fresh, and all the thickening you need comes from the crust and crumble. Makes 6 to 8 servings Bake: 45 to 50 minutes
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