← Back to Recipes

Earl Grey & Blackberry Autumn Crumble

By • Updated September 2026
Jump to Recipe ↓

This classic autumn crumble brings together two British staples: hedgerow blackberries and a strong pot of Earl Grey tea. The bergamot in the tea gently infuses the fruit filling, cutting through the sweetness and adding a floral, citrus note that makes every spoonful feel sophisticated yet comforting. It's the kind of dessert you'll want to make throughout bramble season, from late August into early October, and it pairs beautifully with a post-pudding cup of the same tea you used in the filling.

You'll bake the fruit and crumble topping together in a good ceramic baking dish—the even heat retention ensures the base bubbles gently without scorching while the top turns golden and crisp. A shallow, wide dish (around 1.5–2 litres) works best; it gives you plenty of crunchy surface and lets the filling cook evenly. Serve warm with custard, cream or vanilla ice cream, and don't be surprised if this becomes your go-to recipe whenever the autumn dinner-party menu demands something simple, seasonal and utterly reliable.

Earl Grey & Blackberry Autumn Crumble
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time40 mins
ServingsServes 6
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 500 g fresh or frozen Blackberries
  • 3 tbsp Caster Sugar (for the filling)
  • 1 tbsp Cornflour
  • 150 ml strong brewed Earl Grey Tea (2 teabags or 2 tsp loose leaf, cooled)
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 150 g Plain Flour
  • 100 g cold Unsalted Butter (cubed)
  • 75 g Rolled Oats
  • 75 g Demerara Sugar (for the crumble topping)
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 285
Fat: 12g
Sugar: 22g
Protein: 4g

Instructions

1
Brew the tea: Make 150 ml of strong Earl Grey tea using 2 teabags or 2 tsp loose-leaf tea steeped in freshly boiled water for 5 minutes. Remove the bags or strain, and set aside to cool while you prepare the rest.
2
Prep the filling: In a medium bowl, toss the blackberries with the caster sugar, cornflour, lemon juice and cooled Earl Grey tea until evenly coated. Tip the mixture into a 1.5–2 litre ceramic baking dish and spread it out in an even layer.
3
Make the crumble: In a large bowl, rub the cold cubed butter into the plain flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir through the rolled oats and demerara sugar. The texture should be clumpy and uneven—this gives you those lovely crisp clusters on top.
4
Assemble: Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the blackberries in the ceramic dish. Don't press it down; leave it loose so it bakes up crunchy.
5
Bake: Place the dish on the middle shelf of a preheated 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas 4 oven and bake for 35–40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling at the edges.
6
Cool & serve: Let the crumble rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. It's excellent warm with custard, double cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a real treat, pour yourself a fresh cup of Earl Grey alongside—the bergamot notes echo beautifully through pudding and brew.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

A deep ceramic baking dish is the unsung hero of fruit crumbles. Ceramic heats slowly and evenly, so your blackberry base simmers and thickens without scorching on the bottom, while the crumble topping bakes to a uniform golden crisp. Look for a dish with a 1.5–2 litre capacity and slightly flared sides—it makes serving easier and maximises that crucial ratio of buttery topping to jammy fruit.

See our ceramic baking dish picks →

Expert Tip: Boost the Bergamot

For an extra hit of floral citrus, add a strip of lemon zest to the blackberries along with the brewed Earl Grey. Remove it before serving. You can also swap half the blackberries for late-season raspberries or wild brambles if you're foraging in mixed hedgerows.

Continue Your Journey

Affiliate disclosure: TeaTrade is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn commission by linking to Amazon.co.uk. We may earn a small commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability shown on Amazon are current at the time of click.

Comments