Ingredients
- Topping:
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup almonds (optional)
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- Filling:
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh cherries, pitted and halved, plus an extra handful of cherries for garnish
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a medium sized baking dish (about 2 quart size) and set aside.
First make the topping. In the base of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade, add the almonds and pulse until chopped. Add the flour and the cubed butter and the sugar and pulse just a few times until the butter is cut into the flour in pieces the size of peas. Add the oats and pulse twice to combine. Remove the mixture from the food processor and place it into a medium sized bowl. With your fingers, press the mixture together until clumps form. Place the topping in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. If you are not using a food processor, simply chop the almonds by hand (if using). In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour with the butter and the sugar and with your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until you get pea-sized crumbs. Add the oats and almonds and squeeze the mixture together until soft clumps form.
Reserve a few cherries to use as a garnish, then in a mixing bowl, place the pitted cherries, sugar, chocolate chips and flour and gently toss to combine. Pour the cherry filling into the buttered baking dish and sprinkle with the topping and the reserved cherries. There was enough topping that I had some left over to use for future berry crumbles. These kinds of toppings freeze very well.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown.