I don’t have a sweet tooth. I’ll eat dessert if it’s served at a fantastic restaurant (tiramisu, especially). However, even then I’ve had enough after 3-4 forkfuls. Sometimes, though, when you’re cooking at home, it’s nice to have a little sweet “something” after dinner that’s special–a little different and perfect for impressing friends or a date.
This fruit crisp recipe is from my cooking school notebook, a 3-ring binder with 2 years worth of dishes that we were given at the New School of Cooking. I’ve made many of them in class, but not all of them. I was looking for something fun, easy and a little noteworthy. This fit the bill perfectly! You can make it all in one big Pyrex dish or do what I did, make single servings in small ramekins. When the fruit cooks and gets all bubbly, it smells and looks homey and inviting. Don’t forget to add a little ice cream with it….
Use whatever fruit is in season. For this, I used chopped mangoes and blueberries. It will work just as well with pears and apples, bananas and pineapple or blackberries and strawberries. Be creative with your fruit!
Fruit crisp is a great dish to bring to other people’s homes, as well. Just make it and don’t cook it until you get there. While you’re having the main course, this can be cooking and ready when you’re done. Let me know if you have any thoughts about this recipe or if you’ve done something else to it to make it even yummier.
What makes the ‘crisp’ part so tasty is the addition of orange peel and nuts. When you add the butter and it combines with just a bit of crumbling, you know it’s ready to top your fruit.
Once the fruit is chopped and placed in the ramekins, or put in a pyrex dish, just pile the crumble on top and bake!
An “Any Time, Any Season” Fruit Crisp
Ingredients
- 1-2 ripe mangos, chopped small (about 8oz of fruit) or fruit of choice
- 8oz blueberries or fruit of choice
- 1/2C organic flour
- 1/4C brown sugar
- 2 tbs white sugar
- pinch of salt
- sprinkle or two of cinnamon
- 2 tsps orange zest
- 2 1/2 oz butter, melted
- 1/8 cup or small handful of nuts--almonds, pistachios, walnuts or cashews.
Instructions
- Place the chopped fruit in ramekins or Pyrex dish.
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Combine the flour, sugars, salt, cinnamon and zest in a bowl.
- Mix dry ingredients.
- Add butter and mix until combined, but still crumbly.
- Place the crisp topping on the fruit. Bake on a sheet pan to catch juices, until top is brown and filling is bubbly, about 30-45 minutes. Serve. Ice cream topping optional...but yummy!
