Crumb Mixture:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
vegetable cooking spray

For Batter:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest
a 1 1/2 inch piece vanilla bean
1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups blackberries

Directions:
Make Crumb Mixture:
Cut butter into small pieces and in a bowl with your fingertips blend together with sugar, flour, and cinnamon until mixture resembles coarse meal. Chill mixture, covered, while making batter.

Preheat oven to 425°F and generously spray twelve 1/2 cup muffin cups with cooking spray.

Make Batter:
Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt and whisk in zest. Halve vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into flour mixture. In a measuring cup combine milk and cream.

In a small bowl beat egg. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in half of egg. Beat in milk mixture and flour mixture, each in 3 batches, adding each mixture separately.

Spoon 2 tablespoons crumb mixture into each muffin cup and top with half of blackberries. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter over berries in each cup. Top batter with remaining berries and spoon 2 tablespoons crumb mixture over berries in each cup. Bake buckles in middle of oven until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Cool buckles on a rack 30 minutes. Run a knife around edge of each buckle, making sure knife reaches bottom of cup, and with a small spatula or butter knife loosen buckles from cups. Transfer buckles to plates and serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Makes 12 buckles.

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