Blackberry Crisp Concretes are a favorite summer dessert at Rally Pizza, but they can be made anytime using frozen Oregon blackberries! What is a concrete? A frozen custard treat that is so thick and creamy, it can be served upside down (if you dare)! Rally Pizza was kind enough to share their recipe so you can make this at home anytime a craving hits.
Recipe by Shan from rallypizza.com
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ cups walnuts (other nuts work great here too, especially hazelnuts, but be sure to toast them first if not using walnuts)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
4 cups (about 1lb) frozen Oregon blackberries, thawed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (8 oz.) sugar (vanilla sugar is particularly nice here if you have it!)
3 pints of frozen custard or super premium ice cream (like Haagen Dazs), slightly thawed
1 cups blackberry filling
1 cups walnut crisp topping, divided in half
Step 1
Combine all dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the paddle until incorporated.
Step 2
Add cold butter cubes and continue mixing on low speed until mixture looks sandy and butter is no larger than pea-sized. When the mixture can easily be squeezed into a ball, it’s done.
Step 3
Chill until the butter is completely firm again. Preheat oven to 350°.
Step 4
Spread at least one cup evenly on a small pan or baking dish lined with parchment paper.
Step 5
Bake for about 12 minutes until the topping is golden brown, and the walnuts smell nice and toasty. As the name suggests, the topping wants to be crispy, so don’t be afraid to bake it a little longer than you might think is absolutely necessary!
Step 6
Cool to room temperature before using.
Step 1
In a medium saucepan, stir blackberries and lemon juice together. Add sugar, and stir to combine.
Step 2
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Step 3
When the mixture comes to a boil, stir frequently to make sure the berries don’t stick to the bottom. Reduce the heat if necessary.
Step 4
Mixture will begin to thicken. What you’re looking for is something between a sauce and a jam. If you have a digital thermometer, cooking the mixture to about 215°F is ideal, but there’s a very wide range that will work just fine!
Step 5
When the berry mixture is thick and syrupy, with fruit that’s nice and soft, remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Step 6
When it’s completely cool, move the mixture to the freezer for at least an hour before using.
Step 1
Combine frozen custard, blackberry filling, and ½ C of walnut crisp topping in a food processor, blender, or mixer and blend or process just until it’s nicely marbled. It can be mixed more, but this dessert looks its best with beautiful streaks of blackberry.
Step 2
Divide evenly among four glasses or bowls and garnish with remaining ½ C crisp topping over each. Stand a spoon up in each one for extra drama and enjoy!