Blueberry & Coconut Crumble Squares

Here’s a delicious tray bake that thinks it’s a fruit crumble. A cup full of the oaty, dark sugary, coconutty cake mix is removed before the eggs are added, and then spread over a top layer of juicy blueberries before baking. The result is a cake base with a fruit crumble topping.

Enjoy it warm or cold, on its own or with a dollop of custard or greek yoghurt alongside.

Inspiration for this post has come from BBC Good Food. It’s another variation on a favourite traybake of mine that I posted previously on A Different Kitchen. In this version I’ve changed the sugar from light brown to dark brown, and swapped in blueberries for blackberries. It demonstrates again how easy it is to play around with recipes, rather than feeling we have to strictly follow them to the letter!

Servings

Makes 16 squares.

Timings

15 mins to prepare, 25 mins to bake at 180C.

You Will Need

• 250g self-raising flour
• 25g oats
• 250g dark brown sugar
• 200g butter or spread
• 75g desiccated coconut
• 2 eggs
• 300g fresh blueberries

Method

1. Grease a baking tin and line with baking paper. The one I used is 22cm square.
2. Sieve the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the oats and sugar.
3. Add the baking spread and mix in with an electric whisk, until you have a crumbly mixture.
4. Take a teacup or sugar bowl and fill it with some of the mix. Set aside.
5. Add the eggs to the large bowl and whisk in once more until it is all combined.
6. Spread over the bottom of the baking tin, and smooth out towards all four corners. Scatter the blueberries on top, then sprinkle over the reserved teacup/sugar bowl of crumble mixture.
7. Place in the oven for 25 mins, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with no mixture sticking. Leave to cool.
8. When cool, remove from the tin and cut into 16 squares.

Customise It!

Other fruit like raspberries will work well if you wish. Swap in light brown sugar for the dark if you want a lighter cake. Chuck a few chopped nuts or seeds in with the reserved mixture to add further texture to the crumble topping.

This week I’ve been following developments about the current musical collaboration between two legends of the Manchester music scene – John Squire (The Stone Roses) and Liam Gallagher (Oasis). So far they have only released a couple of tracks for streaming, and I am looking forward to hearing the whole album when it comes out next month. John Squire’s distinctive swiping guitar sound and Liam’s rasping vocals have the potential to make this something special.

It’s prompted me to listen to tracks by The Stone Roses this week. Their sound is an engaging mash-up of 60’s-era vocals and late-80’s dance. This is probably my favourite track of theirs, so I’m adding it to the ADK Playlist. It showcases the Roses at their best: choppy lead guitar, bouncy drums and percussion, steady bass and understated vocals: The Stone Roses with What the World is Waiting For.