Red Fruit and Oat Crumble Squares

Ingredients

• 250 g All-purpose flour (Sift before use)
• 100 g Almond powder (Adds moisture and almond flavor)
• 80 g White sugar
• 5 g Baking powder (About 1 teaspoon)
• 2 g Salt (A pinch)
• 1 unité Lime zest (Finely grated)
• 100 g Cold butter (Cut into small dice)
• 1 unité Egg (Large egg, at room temperature)
• 100 g Oat flakes (Large or medium flakes)
• 30 ml Honey (To coat the oat flakes)
• 15 ml Lemon juice (Fresh, about the juice of one lemon)
• 10 g Cornstarch (Maïzena) (About 1 tablespoon)
• 50 g Brown sugar
• 300 g Mixed red berries (fresh or frozen) (Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, currants…)
• 10 g Powdered sugar (To dust before serving)

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, pour the flour, almond powder, white sugar, baking powder, salt and grated lime zest. Mix thoroughly until everything is homogeneous.

   Time: PT5M

2. Incorporate the cold butter

   Add the cold butter cut into dice. Work with your fingertips like a crumble until you obtain a coarse sandy texture.

   Time: PT5M

3. Form the dough

   Make a well in the center, add the egg and mix quickly by hand until you obtain a homogeneous dough ball that detaches from the sides of the bowl.

   Time: PT3M

4. Divide the dough

   Weigh the total dough (about 510 g). Reserve 330 g for the base and 180 g for the crumble. Form small logs with the 180 g and place them in the refrigerator.

   Time: PT5M

5. Crumble the logs

   Take the dough logs out of the refrigerator and crumble them coarsely with your fingers to obtain the crumble.

   Time: PT5M

6. Prepare the oat‑honey mixture

   In a bowl, mix the oat flakes with the honey until the flakes are well coated.

   Time: PT3M

7. Prepare the red fruit filling

   In a glass bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the cornstarch until dissolved. Add the brown sugar and whisk again. Incorporate the red berries and gently stir to coat them.

   Time: PT5M

8. Line the pan with shortcrust pastry

   Place the 20 cm tart pan on a sheet covered with a silicone mat. Spread the 330 g of dough on the bottom of the pan, pressing with your hands to obtain an even thickness.

   Time: PT5M

9. Chill in freezer

   Place the pan with the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up the base.

   Time: PT20M

10. Add the fruit filling

    Remove the pan from the freezer, spread the red berries evenly over the shortcrust pastry.

    Time: PT2M

11. Add the crumble and oat‑honey mixture

    Sprinkle the crumbled crumble over the fruit, then distribute the oat‑honey mixture on top.

    Time: PT2M

12. Preheat the oven

    Preheat the fan‑forced oven to 180 °C.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: 180°C

13. Bake the crumble squares

    Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is nicely golden.

    Time: PT45M

    Temperature: 180°C

14. Cooling

    Let the cake warm in the pan for about 1 hour before unmolding.

    Time: PT60M

15. Unmold, cut and serve

    Carefully remove the pan, cut the cake into squares with a sharp knife and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

283

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour, Gluten-free flour
• Instead of Almond powder: Homemade almond flour (ground almonds)
• Instead of White sugar: Cane sugar, Coconut sugar
• Instead of Baking powder: Baking soda + lemon juice
• Instead of Salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Lime zest: Lemon zest
• Instead of Cold butter: Vegetable margarine (for lactose‑free version)
• Instead of Egg: Flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water)
• Instead of Oat flakes: Puffed quinoa, Homemade granola
• Instead of Honey: Maple syrup, Agave syrup
• Instead of Lemon juice: Diluted apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Cornstarch (Maïzena): Potato starch
• Instead of Brown sugar: White sugar, Coconut sugar
• Instead of Mixed red berries (fresh or frozen): Red berry compote, Seasonal fruits
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Very fine granulated sugar

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Zest grater
• Silicone spatula
• Whisk (or hand mixer)
• Kitchen scale
• Baking sheet with silicone mat
• 20 cm tart pan
• Fan‑forced oven
• Sharp knife
• Plastic film or parchment paper (to cover the pan during rest) (optional)
• Measuring spoon (tablespoons and teaspoons) (optional)
• Glass bowl (for fruit filling)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Dough formation (step 3)
• Even lining of the base (step 8)
• Baking until golden (step 13)

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very cold butter and cut it into small dice for optimal crumbling.
• Refrigerate the crumble before adding it to the fruit so it retains its texture during baking.
• For a stronger flavor, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the shortcrust pastry.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Wrap the squares individually in plastic film then place in a freezer bag. Keep for up to 1 month.

Room temperature: At room temperature, the squares keep for a maximum of 1 day, away from heat.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the dough the day before and keep it refrigerated, wrapped in plastic film.
• The crumble can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight bag at room temperature.
• The squares freeze very well; reheat lightly in the oven before serving.