Mixed Field Berries with Macadamia Streusel

Difficulty:
1/5

Servings: 6

Ease of Preparation: Medium

This recipe is part of the One BIG Recipe: Veal Roast Dinner

MIXED FIELD BERRIES WITH MACADAMIA STREUSEL

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ sticks (6 ounces/170 g) cold butter
  • 1 cup (240 ml) macadamia nuts
  • 1 cup (240 ml) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (120 ml) sugar
  • Salt
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whipping cream
  • 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon/5 ml vanilla extract)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) icing sugar
  • ½ pint (1 cup/240 ml) raspberries
  • ½ pint (1 cup/240 ml) blueberries
  • ½ pint (1 cup/240 ml) blackberries
  • ½ pint (1 cup/240 ml) halved strawberries
  • ½ lime, zest only

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

Grate cold butter on the large side of a box grater onto a plate. Keep cold.

Place macadamia nuts into a food processor and pulse to a coarse meal, about the size of gravel.

In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, sugar, and the crushed nuts, season with salt, then sift through with fingers to combine.

Line a baking tray with a silicon baking mat.

Add the grated butter to bowl and use hand to combine, pressing to form loose clumps, looking for the texture of a loose cookie dough.

Transfer to the lined tray, sprinkling in a loose, even layer, and bake for 20 minutes.

When ready, pull and set aside to cool at room temperature.

When cool, break up into small chunks, transfer to a container and set aside at room temperature until needed.

Add whipping cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk.

Whip the cream, slowly at first, then increasing the speed when the splashing subsides, for about 3 minutes until stiff peaks form.

Remove the seeds from a vanilla bean: starting at one end, insert the tip of a small, sharp knife halfway into the bean, taking care not to push all the way through. Run the knife tip from one end to the other, cutting just deep enough to open a long slit. Open the bean along the slit, unrolling it to a wide, flat surface. Turn the knife sideways and, starting at one end, use the edge as a scraper and remove the black, grainy residue from the inside of the opened bean, scraping from one end to the other. The tarry beans will stick to the blade. Transfer the collected vanilla granules to the cream, scattering. You may need to push them off the blade with a finger or a second knife. Be sure to collect as much as possible. Reserve the pod for another use or discard. (Alternatively, use 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract for a simpler process).

Add vanilla extract and icing sugar, and whip until just combined.

Transfer to a container and refrigerate until needed.

Wash raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and halved strawberries (or other fresh berries as preferred).

Pat dry and lay on a towel, discarding any that are damaged or over-ripe.

Set aside and refrigerate until needed. PRO TIP: select and add 6 serving dishes to the fridge at the same time to chill for serving.

To Serve:

Combine the berries in a bowl, use a rasp to add the zest of ½ lime. Toss to combine.

Divide the berries into 6 chilled bowls.

Top each bowl with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream, and a generous spoonful of the macadamia streusel.

Serve immediately.