I think we can all agree that the best part of a coffee cake is the streusel topping. Not that there is anything wrong with the cakey part. I just think that it’s not truly a coffee cake without a thick layer of crumbly, streusel-y topping. Otherwise, it’s just cake.
Streusel, at its core, is simply a mix of melted butter, sugar, and flour that have been combined and left to cook and harden into little chucks of sweet texture. From these humble beginnings, always welcome additions of oats, walnuts, cinnamon, vanilla, pecans, cardamom, dried cranberries, or really anything else you fancy, take streusel to new and exciting places, transforming an ordinary dessert into the coolest kid on the block.
And the streusel joy isn’t limited to coffee cake. Here are a few places where the addition of a crumbly of streusel would bring so much fun to the party:
Fruit Crisp: Layer sliced apples, pears, peaches, or berries into a baking dish and add a crumbly top
Muffins: Every kind of muffin shines with a layer of crumble added before baking.
Pies and Tarts: Streusel crumble is a fantastic topping for pies or tarts. Works as a crust, too, instead of a traditional pastry crust.
Fruit Bars: Uses streusel as both a crust and a topping, with a layer of fruit or jam in between.
Cheesecake: Top cheesecake with a layer of crumble just before baking for an extra bit of crunch and flavor.
Ice Cream: Sprinkle crumble over a scoop of ice cream for a sundae with added texture and flavor.
Trifles and Parfaits: Layer a crumble of streusel with yogurt, whipped cream, or custard and fresh fruit.
Fruit Salad: Add some crunch to your fruit salad by tossing it with a streusel crumble.
Pancakes and Waffles: Sprinkle crumble on top along with syrup and fresh fruit.
Bread Pudding: Mix crumble into your bread pudding mixture or use it as a topping just before baking.
In addition to expanding the number of places where a streusel crumb would be a game changer, I’d also like to recommend that when you see a recipe that includes streusel, you consider the amount called for as a suggestion, rather than written gospel. If a little crumble is a good thing, a lot of crumble is even better, so don’t be shy about doubling or even tripling the amount called for. You can use the extra crumble in your recipe for extra crumbly goodness (it will bake just fine with a thick layer of crumble!) or save some for your next ice cream sundae.
With much love ~
Chelly
Still Hungry?
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Make a cheeseboard this weekend
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For the best flavor, bloom your spices
This recipe is from Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. Deb is a true crumble aficionado, and therefore a kindred soul. Her recipe is a brilliant example of how wonderful coffee cake can be when going all in with the crumbly topping.
New York Crumb Cake
SERVINGS: 12 TO 16 TIME: 1 HOUR SOURCE: SMITTEN KITCHEN
CRUMBS
10 tablespoons (140 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (110 grams) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 2/3 cups (215 grams) all-purpose flour
CAKE
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup (120 grams) sour cream
2 tablespoons (30ml) water or milk
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Heat oven: To 350°F (175°C). Lightly coat an 8-inch square or 9-inch cake pan with butter or nonstick spray. For extra security, line it with parchment paper.
Make crumbs: Whisk butter, sugars, cinnamon, and salt together until evenly mixed. Add flour and mix until it disappears. It’s going to be very thick; press it evenly into the bottom of the bowl and set it aside.
Make cake: Beat butter with sugar until lightened and fluffy. Add egg, water or milk, sour cream, and vanilla and beat until combined. Sprinkle the surface of the batter with baking powder and salt, and beat well to combine. Add flour and mix only until it disappears.
Assemble: Scrape batter into prepared cake pan and smooth it flat. Use a spoon to loosen the crumbs from the bottom of the bowl where they’ve rested, breaking them up into big and small rubble. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.