A Berry Nutty Crisp

Summer is quite incomplete without a crisp or a crumble. There is no better, easier or quicker way to savor these luscious gifts of fruits and berries that nature endows on us during this time of the year.

Something is so very morish about these simple rustic desserts. Beneath the not so pretty brown lumpy sheath lies the oozy, sticky, jammy fresh baked fruits, and every mouthful  makes me giddy with pleasure.

I can be seriously evocative about this, for I am enjoying my share while I write this! And if you wondering… I am still on my break and relishing every minute of my time here at home.  The crisp is all gone; it was made before I left and I plan to make more when I come back. For now I am staying far away from cooking anything myself but enjoying the food with my heart, soul and a great appetite.

Now go ahead and enjoy delightful summer before it disappears.

Cobbler, Crisp, Crumble, are all similar desserts with the base of a jammy fruit/berry. They get different names from the kind of the topping goes on them. While a Cobbler will have a dough like topping which bakes with the fruits beneath, the Crisp and the Crumble are very similar with a crumbly crunchy top. The Crisp just happens to be a little bit more rich in sugar and butter than a Crumble, which uses a streusel like topping. And then there are Betty, Buckle and Grunt! We will leave those for another day.





Do not go by the photographs; I do promise the dessert  looked way better than it seems here.  In an usual circumstance, the crisp does not require to be really crisp. But in our home, we love our crisps with some good bite and texture and if possible with a nice crunch. So we use a lot of nuts, coarse nut flour and bake it a little bit longer. Let me tell you, this requires only a little bit of work, but when you see the bright fruits and berries bubbling and popping and staining the sides of the dish while it cooks, it will uplift your spirits. And every warm spoonful, does have the power to make you sing. Do consider having some ice cream or whipped cream on the side – it does make the crisp even better.

Berry Nut Crisp

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups blueberries
2. 1 cup  blackberries
3. 1 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered
   
4. 4 tablespoons chopped/sliced almonds or walnuts
5. 2.5 tablespoons orange juice (or lime/lemon juice)
6. 2 teaspoons orange zest or any citrus zest
7. 2 tablespoons corn starch/corn flour or arrowroot powder
8. 4 tablespoons brown sugar

Topping/Crisp:

1. 3/4 cup almond flour or coarsely pulsed almonds, if you want more bite and texture
   
2. 1/2 cup oats
   
3. 1/3 cup  almonds/walnut/any nuts, sliced/chopped
4. 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
5. 1/4 teaspoon all spice
   
6. 1.5 tablespoon brown sugar
   
7. a pinch of  salt
8. 4 tablespoons cold butter

** Note: Use berries/fruits in any combination you want. Use spices of your preference and taste. Use any kind/combination of nuts. This is just a basic kind of recipe and can be easily adapted to your taste. Adjust sugar as per your taste and the kind of fruits you will use. The citrus juice may be reduced if the fruits/berries are tart.




Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Combine the berries and chopped nuts in a bowl.  Combine the zest, the lime/orange/lemon  juice, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Add the corn starch/corn flour and add  into fruit/berry/nut mix, mixing them well. Let stand while you make topping.

Combine the almond flour, oats, sliced walnuts/almonds/nuts, cinnamon, all spice, and salt into a bowl. Slice cold butter into small pieces and with your fingers/or knife, work butter into the mixture until it is entirely incorporated. It will be partly crumbly partly pasty mix.

Divide the fruit between 8 ramekins or bake in a single baking dish. Cover fruit berry mix with the prepared crisp (divide it in equal portions if baking in individual ramekins). Place the baking dish or the ramekins on a larger oven safe tray to hold the bubbly drips; bake in the pre-heated oven until  golden brown on top and juices of the fruit begin to bubble and drip – about 40 minutes. (bake it a bit longer, lowering the oven temperature, if you want the topping really crisp to bite at).

Serve warm with whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream or just by itself.

Related Posts:

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Cherry Blackberry Almond Crisp

Cherry and Apricot Clafoutis

Fruit Berry Spoon Cake

Cherry Berry Mousse Tart