If you are a past reader you know that I love “nursery” desserts like custard, puddings, floating island – almost anything that would have been served in an English nursery. The only ones I don’t like are those with gelatin bases or what I used to call wiggle desserts. A grunt is almost one of those nursery desserts but it is a little more grown-up. But how I love the names of old-fashioned fruit desserts like this one. Buckles, slumps, pandowdies, fools, betties, sonkers, crumbles – all silly names for delicious fruit desserts probably most of them from early English cookbooks. I particularly love a grunt (also called slump) in the summer as it can be cooked on the stove top rather than in the oven so you don’t have to heat up the kitchen on those hot days. This is one of my favorite recipes —- summer or winter. You can use almost any fruit that is in season. If using harder fruits, such as apples or pears, pre-cook them a bit longer to soften.
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup half and half
¼ cup cooled, melted unsalted butter
½ cup water
½ cup orange juice
¾ cup granulated sugar
8 cups blueberries
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Heavy cream or whipped cream for serving, optional
Combine the flour, light brown sugar and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together to blend completely. Add the half and half and melted butter and, using a wooden spoon, beat until a soft batter forms and no lumps remain.
Combine the water, orange juice and sugar in a heavy bottomed 12-inch frying pan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved into the liquid.
Add the blueberries, lemon zest, and nutmeg, cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes.
Uncover and drop the batter by the heaping tablespoonful into the bubbling fruit. Continue dropping until all of the batter has been used and the entire top is almost covered in dumplings. Lower the heat to barely simmer, cover and cook for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a couple of the dumplings comes out clean.
Remove from the heat and set on a wire rack to cool slightly.
Serve warm, dusted with confectioners’ sugar or with heavy cream poured over each serving or whipped cream dolloped on top. You could also serve with vanilla ice cream or yogurt – do whatever your diet points you toward.
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