Dessert really doesn’t get much easier than this. Three ingredients — berries, sour cream, and brown sugar — join forces to create a sweet treat that’s juicy, creamy, crunchy, and caramelized all at once. It feels fancy and special, but it’s super simple to assemble, making it the perfect choice for all your summer party dessert needs.
A Fuss-Free Summer Fruit Dessert in 5 Minutes
This recipe doesn’t even need a recipe. Spread your berries of choice out in a baking dish, top them with a healthy amount of sour cream, and top the whole thing with brown sugar. Under the broiler it goes until the sugar melts, caramelizes, and becomes as crackly as the best crême brûlée. The whole process takes all of five minutes, and it’s definitely the sweetest way to enjoy the season’s berries.
Ingredients
1 pint fresh raspberries (about 2 cups)
12 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered (about 2 cups)
16 ounces (2 cups) sour cream
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
Direction
Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven (6 to 8 inches from broiling element) and heat the broiler to high. Spread the raspberries and strawberries out evenly in a 2-quart baking dish. Dollop the sour cream on top and use a spatula to gently spread it out over the berries. Using your hands to break up any clumps, sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the sour cream.
Broil until the sugar melts and just begins to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, as the sugar can go from caramelized to burnt very quickly. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Individual berry gratins: This recipe can also be used to make 8 individual gratins. Fill 8 (6-ounce) ramekins with 1/2 cup berries each. Top each with 3 tablespoons of sour cream and sprinkle with 1 packed tablespoon brown sugar. Broil until the sugar melts and just begins to caramelize, 3 to 4 minutes.
Storage: While the gratin is best enjoyed as soon as it comes out of the broiler, leftovers can be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator to be enjoyed cold or at room temperature for breakfast the next morning.
