Rustic Cherry Peach Crisp

All summer, but especially when the season is on its last stretch, we usually take a jaunt out to our local farm stand to get the last of the season’s fresh fruit and try to catch one more wave of summer. Our local farm is a family-owned fourth generation business which has been in the family since 1888.

We’ve been going there for years! It’s about a 20-minute ride from our house. Passing the local agriculture with horse stables and farmhouses as a backdrop and blasting music with the windows wide open is part of the overall experience. Most importantly, my passengers fill me in on their latest life adventures!

The peaches are just at the tail end of the season in late August early September just before apples and pumpkins, in all of their splendor, take center stage. Some quality cherries can be found too, but often in the supermarket if you get lucky, or simply use frozen (thawed) which are picked at their ripest.

Our Rustic Cherry Peach Crisp uses ripe peaches perfect for an oatmeal topping that has a rich buttery taste. The cherries add a tart brightness.

Sometimes we’ll make the Rustic Cherry Peach Crisp ahead of time and stop just before baking it, leaving it to refrigerate overnight until morning. It’s a great dessert served warm with cold ice cream or even for breakfast with creamy yogurt.

Change up the recipe to suit your taste or whatever is in season near you. You can make this “healthier” by substituting butter, gluten free with certified oats and nut free if allergies are a concern.

Yield: 6-8

Author: Stacey Berk

This rustic cherry peach crisp uses ripe peaches and has an oatmeal topping with a rich, buttery taste. The cherries add a tart brightness.

prep time: 20 Mcook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 H & 20 M

ingredients:

Topping

3/4 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of each cinnamon, nutmeg and salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Zest and juice of a small orange, divided
1/4 cup of chopped almonds or pecans
6 tablespoons of heart healthy butter substitute or butter, chilled

Filling

1 1/2 pound ripe peaches
1 cup of pitted cherries, frozen (thawed) or fresh
1 tablespoon of cornstarch or tapioca, if desired

instructions:

How to cook Rustic Cherry Peach Crisp

Preheat the oven to 350F.
To make the crumble topping, mix together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, maple syrup, baking powder, spices, extract, salt and zest. Add the chopped nuts. Cut butter substitute or butter into topping with two forks or your hands, and chill for 20 minutes.
To make the filling, wash, dry and slice the peaches (peel if you prefer that taste). Arrange peaches in a prepared 8x8 baking dish, spreading in an even layer. Place cherries on top of peaches. Mix with cornstarch or tapioca if using. Squeeze the orange juice over fruit.
Using a tablespoon, place the topping evenly over the fruit. At this point, you can cover with tin foil, and refrigerate overnight until ready to bake.
Place the crisp into the oven and bake for 60-65 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and fruit bubbles. Top with creamy yogurt or ice cream!

NOTES:

• The crisp can be made with other seasonal stone fruits and nuts! Try plums and pistachios, apricots and almonds, and nectarines and hazelnuts. Extract can be replaced with rich liquors such as Brandy, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, and Kirsch. • Using cornstarch or tapioca thickens the fruit mixture BUT can also create a gummy texture. • This dish can be vegan and/or gluten free friendly. Use a butter substitute and/or certified gluten free rolled oats to modify as needed. • To make this dish nut free, omit the nuts and almond extract and replace with vanilla extract. • The crisp can be made ahead of time, stopping just before you bake it. After you place the topping on the fruit, cover with tin foil, and refrigerate overnight until ready to bake.
• Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream, or for breakfast with creamy yogurt. • Store in an airtight container. To reheat, bring to room temperature for 5 minutes, then bake in the convection toaster oven on reheat or at 325F for 15 minutes.

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