Streusel Makes The Coffeecake

And more is ALWAYS better

I think we can all agree that the best part of a coffee cake is the streusel topping. Not that there is anything wrong with the cakey part. I just think that it’s not truly a coffee cake without a thick layer of crumbly, streusel-y topping. Otherwise, it’s just cake.

Streusel, at its core, is simply a mix of melted butter, sugar, and flour that have been combined and left to cook and harden into little chucks of sweet texture. From these humble beginnings, always welcome additions of oats, walnuts, cinnamon, vanilla, pecans, cardamom, dried cranberries, or really anything else you fancy, take streusel to new and exciting places, transforming an ordinary dessert into the coolest kid on the block.

And the streusel joy isn’t limited to coffee cake. Here are a few places where the addition of a crumbly of streusel would bring so much fun to the party:

• Fruit Crisp: Layer sliced apples, pears, peaches, or berries into a baking dish and add a crumbly top
• Muffins: Every kind of muffin shines with a layer of crumble added before baking.
• Pies and Tarts: Streusel crumble is a fantastic topping for pies or tarts. Works as a crust, too, instead of a traditional pastry crust.
• Fruit Bars: Uses streusel as both a crust and a topping, with a layer of fruit or jam in between.
• Cheesecake: Top cheesecake with a layer of crumble just before baking for an extra bit of crunch and flavor.
• Ice Cream: Sprinkle crumble over a scoop of ice cream for a sundae with added texture and flavor.
• Trifles and Parfaits: Layer a crumble of streusel with yogurt, whipped cream, or custard and fresh fruit.
• Fruit Salad: Add some crunch to your fruit salad by tossing it with a streusel crumble.
• Pancakes and Waffles: Sprinkle crumble on top along with syrup and fresh fruit.
• Bread Pudding: Mix crumble into your bread pudding mixture or use it as a topping just before baking.

In addition to expanding the number of places where a streusel crumb would be a game changer, I’d also like to recommend that when you see a recipe that includes streusel, you consider the amount called for as a suggestion, rather than written gospel. If a little crumble is a good thing, a lot of crumble is even better, so don’t be shy about doubling or even tripling the amount called for. You can use the extra crumble in your recipe for extra crumbly goodness (it will bake just fine with a thick layer of crumble!) or save some for your next ice cream sundae.

With much love ~

Chelly

​TheGoodFoodProject.co​