Strawberry Crumble

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground almonds (I used a coffee bean grinder to crush/grind whole almonds.)
5 Tbsp. sugar
5 Tbsp. butter (room temp/softened)
1 pound strawberries (stems removed and halved or quartered)
1-2 Tbsp. kirsch, *optional (I made w/o it, b/c what the heck is it?)
1 tsp. lemon juice
Vanilla ice cream

CRUMBS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, ground almonds, and 3 Tbsp. sugar. With fingertips, rub 3 Tbsp. softened butter into the mixture until coarse crumbs form. Works fine to use a fork to mix; then cut into it with the fork and a butter knife as it thickens.
   
3. Spread evenly into a shallow baking pan. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. You may want to shake/stir the crumbs around about half way through.
   

SAUCE:

1. While the crumbs cook, melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar over medium heat. Continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until light caramel color, stirring occasionally.
2. Carefully stir in berries, kirsch, and lemon juice; cook for 30 seconds--just until the first bubbles break the surface--and remove from heat.
3. If caramel mixture solidifies when berries are added, cool and stir a minute of two longer, just until it melts.
   

FINAL PRODUCT:

1. Spoon hot strawberries into dessert dishes (makes 4-6 servings), and sprinkle with crumbled almond topping.
2. Serve warm, and top with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.

Made this last night for a late dessert on the porch. Very yummy, and the crumbs would be good topped over any ice cream dish--and other things, I'm sure--as well. Try it, but make little beings under 3 wear BIBS! :)