Brown Betty is a baked fruit dessert made with fresh fruit, buttered breadcrumbs, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It originated in Europe and was likely brought to the US by English settlers. The dish can be made with various fruits and is typically served hot with toppings like whipped cream or ice cream.
Brown Betty is a baked fruit dessert resembling a cobbler or brittle. It is made with fresh fruit, buttered breadcrumbs, and an assortment of spices of your choice, typically including cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s popular year-round and can be served plain or topped with an assortment of toppings. Typically, Brown Betty is served hot off the pan from the oven, or it can be baked in individual ramekins for a more elegant presentation. The classic fruit used in Brown Betty is apples, although other fruits can also be used.
Brown Betty’s origins can be found in Europe, where medieval cooks prepared numerous dishes with fruit, spices and sugar. Pies evolved during this time, as did an assortment of others baked into potato chips and cobblers. A variation of Brown Betty was likely brought to the United States from England with the first settlers, and the dish became an enduring favorite. The dish is closely related to a number of other popular American desserts such as buckle, brittle, crumble, and grunt.
The heart of Brown Betty is high quality fruit. Crisp apples like Granny Smiths or Gravensteins are classic inclusions. The cooks also prepare the Brown Betty rhubarb, which can also include strawberries. Softer fruits such as berries and peaches can also be used. The fruit is supplemented with a small amount of sugar, which is meant to enhance the natural sweetness of the fruits. Typically, Brown Betty is dressed in melted butter before being baked, creating a crispy crust.
To make Brown Betty, toss a cup of breadcrumbs with ½ cup sugar and half to teaspoons full of spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, lemon zest, or nutmeg. The sugar level of the Brown Betty may also need to be adjusted, depending on the type of fruit used. Add three tablespoons of the butter to the breadcrumb mixture, mixing well to lightly coat the bread crumbs with the butter.
Place half of the breadcrumbs in a buttered baking dish and top with chopped fruit such as apples, strawberries, peaches, pears or fresh berries. Spread the remaining bread crumbs on top and drizzle with melted butter if you’d like a crispier Brown Betty. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) for 45 minutes. You can serve Brown Betty hot with hard sauce, whipped cream, ice cream or other sauces of your choice.
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