Russian-style crumble pie inspired by babushka’s cookies with berries (RECIPE)

July 06 2021

We’ll tell you how to bake the easiest and most delicious crumble pie.

Yulia Mulino

One bite of this cake can easily take you back to childhood with its unforgettable summer treats.

I used to spend my whole summer in the countryside when I was a child, and among my favorite memories was visiting grannie’s friends. They always had something sweet and tasty for tea. Once, we stopped by an unknown place, and what a treat they had that day - a new type of cookie. They were solid but crumbled with berry filling inside. Many years since that day, I made a ‘nasypnoi’ pie (‘piled up’ in English), or crumble. The moment I tried a piece, I clearly remembered that garden, a path with phloxes, a warm elderly lady and those cookies!

Crumble cake is the easiest you can imagine. Popular all over the world, this dessert has plentiful variations: fresh and frozen fruits, berries, jams or a mix of them. The consistency may have a range as well. The one that’s popular in Russia is more solid. Usually, it is baked in large pans, then can be cut with a knife and is served as square bars.

I make a Russian-style crumble pie, and my children know it as ‘cookies with jam’. In the summer months I add fresh berries as well. It perfectly fits in the concept of ‘grannies’ recipe: they usually make lots of jams and have leftovers from the previous year. It’s a great idea to combine old jams with fresh berries: You make something really good and free up space for new ones.

I encourage you to make this Russian-style crumble pie! Probably you’ll also have déjà vu from your childhood.