This is a vintage dessert and a great way to use leftover bread and seasonal fruit. This summer version has layers of peaches and blackberries and slightly sweet croutons made with brioche. You can vary the flavors and the type of bread and it's delicious served warm with cream or ice cream.
A way to use old bread and seasonal fruit
I bought an excessive amount of Summer fruit, so there was no alternative but to bake up a storm. Which I did.
This very vintage dessert was one of the results. I don't think you can get any more old-fashioned than serving a brown betty. The name itself sounds intriguing, and I'm pretty sure there's a great story behind its origins.
It's basically a crisp recipe that uses breadcrumbs instead of flour and oats for the topping. I'm pretty sure it was a way of using up old bread besides making bread pudding with fruit or stuffed French toast.
FAQ
It's just a matter of layering bread crumbs with fruit and juice.
In the oven, the fruit juices will moisten the bread and create a sort of bread pudding. It's simple and delicious!
Any seasonal juicy fruit is great for this, like peaches, plums and berries.
Use sweet or rich breads like challah, brioche, pulla bread or even Italian pandoro if you have leftovers.
Yes, you can! Bake it, let it cool down to room temperature, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Reheat in a medium oven before serving.
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Blackberry Peach Brown Betty
Ingredients
- 4 cups of brioche, Pandoro or challah croutons
- 1 ½ pound fresh peaches
- 1 ½ cups fresh blackberries
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- Fresh cream, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF/165°C.
- Peel, core and cut peaches into slices.
- Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl.
- In another small bowl mix orange juice and water.
- You will make 3 layers of croutons and 2 layers of fruit mixed with the sugar, juice and zest, so divide accordingly. Put ⅓ of the croutons in the bottom of a glass or ceramic dish. Place half of the fruit on top, sprinkle with half the sugar and half each of the zests, and finally pour half the juice with a spoon all over the fruit.
- Repeat with croutons, fruit, sugar, zest and juice ending with a layer of pandoro croutons.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until very golden and easily pierced with a knife.
- Let cool a bit and serve hot or warm with cold cream.
- Keep refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, for 2 days.
Notes
Adapted from Joy of Cooking, by Irma and Marion Rombauer
Cocoa and Lavender says
This is beatiful Paula - the fruit so fresh and colorful! No, I haven't made the pandoro yet. Mark looked at the number of eggs and (considering my diet) suggested we wait till Easter. I reluctantly agreed... I can't wait to check out some of the links. The amaretto sounds amazing and anything homemade is better than store bought! ~ David
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
This recipe brings back memories of when I lived in Texas...summer with peaches and blackberries. I keep forgetting to let you know that I like your china. I have the same pattern at our summer cottage in Maine and love it.
Lisa says
Paula...talk about kismet with slightly different endings! I'm so sorry you left your 'guy' behind. You only hope the people who moved in after you (I'm assuming your ex didn't stay there..or else you would have gotten it back) were bread bakers and knew what a goldmine you left behind - instead of throwing it out. 'Herbie' was so strong, that I didn't even have to refresh the amount I removed for recipes - the dough would triple in size before the deflate and shape, and then the oven spring..WOW. It takes a good amount of time and constant baking and feeding to get a killer SD starter, so losing it is like losing, well..gold. 🙁
That said, I LOVE brown betty 'any fruit' and yours looks flippin' amazing with the peaches and blackberries, but the best part, the pandoro croutons - brilliant! This is a must make for me 🙂
Ashley says
I love fresh fruit recipes in the Winter! It's a little bit of summer during these cold months 🙂 Looks delicious...
Kelly Senyei | Just a Taste says
This looks absolutely amazing! I love the sweet-tangy pairing of peaches and blackberries. Can't wait to try this!
Laura Dembowski says
Looks amazing! The more summer fruit the better I can't wait for it to be summer here.