lisi's luscious desserts

Plums, apricots, pluots, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, nectarines, peaches (and more) – this crisp has everything in it!  I wanted to take full advantage of all the fruits I saw and love at my local farmers market.   And I did!  Grown-up friends loved this…Amy, Judy, Marco and Michael all had verrry nice things to say although didn’t speak much because their mouths were full.  The crisp buttery oat-y topping paired with the succulent fruits just speaks summer.  It really does.  I love crisps, crumbles and cobblers, they are so easy to make and really pack such delicious flavor.  Served this with a mixture of whipped cream and creme fraiche and oh, each bite tastier than the next.  Vanilla ice cream or plain freshly whipped cream would also be great.  The kids are reluctant to try this – not sure why because they’d love it, but there is time for everything eventually.  Serve warm from the oven, or room temp later, or cold the next morning this is all around superb.  Enjoy-

Feel free to fiddle with your fruits.  Also, I had left over streusal (that keeps well in the freezer for any time I want a little crisp.)

Serves from 8-12.

summer fruit cobbler (slightly adapted from Baking For All Occasions by Flo Braker):

You’ll need a 13×9x 2 inch baking dish – or around that.  If you have smaller dishes, you can make two!

streusal-

1 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 oz (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

fruit filling- (9-10 cups total)

4 cups mixed berries such as blueberries, blackberries, boysenberries , raspberries (you pick what you like to equal about 3-4 cups)
1 cup sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted and halved
2 medium firm but ripe peach, peeled, halved, pitted and sliced
1 each small firm but ripe nectarine, pluot, apricot and plum, halved, pitted and sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 – 1/3 cup sugar  (if your fruits are very sweet, go with a little less, if not, go with a little more)
3 tablespoons all purpose flour

whipped topping-(double this if you think your guests or family will eat a lot of it.  I find people take the smallest spoonfuls.)

1 cup cold heavy cream
1/4 cup creme fraiche
1 tablespoon sugar

Streusal- In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Using your fingers mix and squish this until it resembles coarse sand and kind of comes together as a dough a bit if you squeeze it.  The streusal can be stored at room temp for 1-2 hours.  For longer storage, place in fridge for up to 5 days.  You an also freeze the streusal to keep on hand for the next time you want a crumble fast.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place rack in center of the oven.

Combine all the prepped fruits in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice and vanilla.  Sprinkle this mixture over the fruit.  Add the sugar and pinch of salt to the fruits and and gently toss with your hands to coat evenly.  Sprinkle the flour over the fruit and again, toss gently.

Pour the fruits into the gratin dish and then scatter the streusal on top of the fruits.  Do not press down – just try to evenly top the fruit. (Although a lot of topping is good, I wanted this to be very fruity – so I didn’t use all of the streusal.  So up to you.  I saved the extra in the freezer for strawberry crumble on the fly.)

Bake the crumble until the fruit is soft and bubbling – and the topping is lightly browned.  Probably take about 30-40 minutes or so although I forgot to time this.  So check at 30 and continue to bake if not yet golden and bubbly. Let cool on a wire rack.  Serve warm, or re-heat later, or serve at room temp.  Cold is good too actually!

Whipped cream/creme fraiche – whisk together the cream, creme fraiche and sugar with hand held beaters or in your electric mixer until it is very softly whipped.  Cover and refrigerate until service.  Ice cream or plain whipped cream is great too (freshly whipped please!)

Yes, another fruit crisp.  I just love love love them.  So much easier than a pie and really (to me) just as good! Made this for Father’s Day – Rob’s family was in and I thought they would enjoy this.  (Served favorite fudgy brownies too for my chocolate lovers.)  Here the nectarine, raspberries and cherries make for a colorful crisp that just tastes like summer.  The reds and yellows are so vibrant and pretty – feels like I’m eating sunshine.  This one is not too too sweet which is also nice – the fruit tastes like it should – and the topping adds a special crunch. Everyone enjoyed this, especially my mother-in-law I think  (Me too!)  Hard to keep the leftovers on the counter (too much extra nibbling) so I gave it to Jodi and Mike for their Father’s Day celebration and got more rave reviews.  Have fun here, fiddle with your fruits and sugar – and spices.  Taste the fruits before you use them and taste them again once you add the sugar and spices.  Go easy at first and add sugar and spice as you need and desire.  Enjoy this-

Serves around 6-8.

nectarine, cherry, and raspberry crisp (adapted from Baking Unplugged by Nicole Rees):

4 1/2 cups pitted, sliced nectarines (about 3-4 large)
3 cups raspberries
1 1/2 cup pitted, halved cherries
1/2 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch kosher salt

topping-
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place rack in center of oven.  Butter a 9 inch square baking dish.

Combine the fruits with the cornstarch, allspice, cardamom and pinch of salt in a medium bowl.  Pour into prepped pan.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, oats and salt.  Add the melted butter and stir to combine.

Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake for about 35-45 minutes.  I forgot to time this – so keep cooking until the fruit juices bubble and the top to turn a nice golden brown.  Enjoy-