Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Huckleberry Slump

The name is catchy, isn't it? When I first came across the Sour Cherry Slump recipe in Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, I knew I just had to make it for the name alone. Alas, two pints of sour cherries are just not doable on my food budget, so I let this recipe go - until I went huckleberry picking this summer! This, in addition to the huckleberry pork loin, was one of my first ideas for using the berries in a unique way.

According to the book, a "slump" is "essentially a twice-removed cousin of the cobbler family, consisting of cooked fruit filling topped with a biscuit crust that's cooked entirely on the stovetop" (page 44). The slump refers to how the biscuit topping "slumps" over the filling as it cooks.

The recipe for the original sour cherry version can be found online here.

Huckleberry Slump (adapted by me from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito)

For the biscuit topping

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Raw sugar for topping (optional)
For the huckleberry filling
  • 3 cups huckleberries
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • juice of half a lemon (use some zest if you have it, too; I didn't)

Make the biscuit topping

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a wooden spoon, stir in the melted butter and mix until combined. Add 1/4 cup of the sour cream and stir. Add a few heaping tablespoons of the remaining sour cream, stirring between each addition, until the dough feels wet. You may end up using slightly less than the 1/2 cup of the sour cream. Set aside while you prepare the huckleberries.

Make the huckleberries

In a well-seasoned 8-inch or 8-1/2-inch cast-iron skillet, gently combine the berries, sugar, and lemon juice. (I used my nifty cast iron KitchenAid dutch oven and it worked great.)

Cover the skillet with a lid or a piece of tight-fitting foil and bring the mixture to a rapid boil over medium heat.

When the mixture reaches a boil, remove the skillet from the heat and scoop heaping tablespoons of the biscuit topping over the berries, covering as much surface area as possible. If using, sprinkle the top with raw sugar. Cover the skillet tightly and return it to low heat. Cook for about 15 minutes. Do not remove the lid. After 15 minutes, check the topping for doneness; it should be dry to the touch. (The topping will not brown the way it would in an oven.)

Serve the slump hot from the pan.

Can we all say YUM? Holy huckleberries, man, this was wonderful! Really quick & easy and totally delicious. The huckleberries cook down and thicken and you get an almost jam-like consistency. The biscuits, which are more like a dumpling, are light and tender. I'm only sorry I put off making this so long because it was super! I will definitely be making this again, and it's versatile, too; you can probably use any seasonal fruit you want to. Excellent!

16 comments:

Mam said...

Boy this brings back memories. When I was young my aunt would make a similar dish with blueberries. We called it blueberry doughboys!

Coleens Recipes said...

"Huckleberry Slump" sounds like a dance, doesn't it? This looks fabulous.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

That is a delicious treat!

Cheers,

Rosa

Donna-FFW said...

It certainly looks super. I would love this with peaches or strawberries. I dont get huckleberries here. A must try for sure!

Delicious!

Palidor said...

Well, you really do learn something new everyday! That is not what I thought at all when I read the word "slump" in your title. I totally agree that it is YUM!

Tina said...

Yeah, you threw me off with "slump" in the title of your blog! I don't get huckleberries here but I agree with Donna, a peach or strawberry would be good too.

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

I am with donna on this, strawberry slump sounds great. I like the easy recipes.

Looks terrific, thanks for sharing

NKP said...

I've never had huckleberries before. I guess they don't grow here.
The slump looks really good - glad to know the biscuits turn out so well stove-top.

Cathy said...

This looks delicious! I love huckleberries in any kind of cooked fruit dessert.

Lea Ann said...

This looks wonderful. I'm going to forward this to my huckleberry picking friend in Montana. Thanks for the recipe.
Lea Ann
www.highlandsranchfoodie.wordpress.com

monicajane said...

berry cobbler/pie/slump...whatever... are my favorite desserts...this looks to die for.

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

What a delicious dessert. Looks terrific.

Chris said...

That does sound very good. Throw some vanilla ice cream on it while it's still hot:)

Unknown said...

Does this ever look good! I bet it would be awesome with vanilla ice cream.

Reeni said...

I've never seen anything like this!! It's so unique! It looks divine!

Emily Rose said...

yum! sounds delicious and I also love the name! I have never heard the term "slump" before but it seems like a good description for the dessert!

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