Summer berries are so juicy, sweet, and delicious right now, it’s hard not to inhale an entire pint – straight out of the container – in one sitting. In fact, Lily and I have been known to accomplish that precise feat as soon as we get back from the grocery store.
Although summer-ripe blueberries are pretty much perfect all on their own, they also make for a fantastic base for light desserts; such as these individual crisps.
The filling is sweetened only with pure blueberry juice that is reduced down on the stovetop until thick and syrupy, and the topping is sweetened with coconut nectar… an all-natural, low-glycemic, nutrient-rich syrup that looks like molasses but has a much milder flavor.
These crisps welcome a scoop of vanilla ice cream, (especially when eaten warm from the oven), but I actually prefer them paired with tangy plain Greek yogurt… that way, you can enjoy a serving for breakfast!
Individual Blueberry Coconut Crisps
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 2 cups ripe blueberries (preferably organic)
- 1 cup unsweetened blueberry juice, such as Lakewood, divided use
- 1 1/2 tsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup blanched almond flour (almond meal will also work, it will just be a slightly coarser texture)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/8 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/3 cup melted virgin coconut oil
- 1/3 cup coconut nectar (or pure maple syrup)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Evenly divide the blueberries amongst 4 ramekins.
For the filling: Heat 3/4 cup blueberry juice in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat until simmering. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup blueberry juice and arrowroot powder until no lumps remain. Whisk the arrowroot “slurry” into the simmering blueberry juice. Bring mixture to a low boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer until mixture is has thickened and reduced by half – whisking every now and then – about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, and pour evenly over the blueberries in the ramekins.
For the crisp topping: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, almond flour, shredded coconut, and salt; whisk to combine. Stir in oil and coconut nectar; stir to combine. Evenly crumble the crisp topping over the fruit.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, (you’ll probably want to place a baking sheet underneath the ramekins to catch any overflow), until the crisp topping is golden brown and the blueberry filling is hot and bubbling.
Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Serve warm, with ice cream or yogurt, if desired.
