(any kind of) fruit crisp
I love crisp! Lots of fruit. Lots of buttery crumble on top. And best served with ice cream.
It’s a great option for all seasons, and can easily feed a crowd with very little effort. I’ve included a kind of mix and match fruit formula below, so hopefully it can help guide you no matter what kind of fruit you have on hand. I always recommend a mix of sweet and tart fruit, as well as something with more structure (like an apple or rhubarb) with something that cooks down into something saucier (like raspberries). You can definitely use frozen fruit as well, I never defrost it before mixing it in to keep the shape as much as possible (especially for things like berries!).
(any kind of) fruit crisp
Yield: one 8”x8” crisp
*double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 to feed a crowd
Crumb topping
⅓ cup (42 g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup (45 g) rolled oats
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup salted butter, cold
Fruit filling
4-6 cups fruit*
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½-3/4 cup (100-150 g) granulated sugar (keep the sugar on the low end if using more sweet fruit, or if you prefer things less sweet in general)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
*I recommend using about half sweet and half tart fruit, and half structured & half saucier (ex- peach slices & raspberries, or diced rhubarb & strawberries, or diced tart apple & a mix of berries).
To make the crisp
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8”x8” pan, and set aside.
First prepare the crumbs: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, rolled oats, salt, and ground ginger. Next, slice chilled butter into ½-inch cubes, and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork, until it resembles coarse crumbs. Move to the fridge while you prepare the fruit.
To prepare the fruit filling: In a large mixing bowl, stir the fruit and lemon juice together, and then add the sugar, flour, and cinnamon and mix together with a spatula or wooden spoon. Pour into the prepared baking pan. *Optional: If using a delicate berry (like raspberries), keep them out of this mixture, and sprinkle them over top in an even layer to keep them intact.
Then, sprinkle the prepared crumbs over the fruit in an even layer.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-45 minutes, or until crumbs are golden brown and fruit is tender and slightly bubbling. Serving it warm is my preferred method, just be warned that it may be a bit runny until it completely cools. Serve with a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of cream, or whipped cream if desired.
Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and store for 2 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge - but crisp is best enjoyed the first day.
Tips:
Use more or less fruit depending on your ideal fruit to crumb layer ratio! I love more fruit, so I usually choose to use the higher end of the measurements.
If you’re using mostly berries and you’re worried about it being too runny, use cornstarch instead of flour, and ensure the crisp bubbles well before removing it from the oven.