Tuesday Tastings :: Quick Stone Fruit Crisp

I never thought I’d see the day, but I’m beginning to get just the teeny tiniest bit tired of summer peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines. Maybe it has something to do with my daily peach & kale smoothie habit… or the fact that I can’t resist filling a bag with them each time I’m at the market. Regardless, I’ve been on the hunt for some new ways to use stone fruit while they’re still peak-of-season, and this super quick and easy crisp is utterly addictive. Make it the morning of a dinner party and rewarm in the oven just before serving – then watch guests practically lick their plates clean of every last syrupy drop. A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream never hurts, too (though I used coconut sorbet here in an effort to convince myself I was being slightly health-conscious.) Keep reading for the recipe, and leave a comment letting me know what desserts all of you are whipping up with summer fruit these days!

Quick Stone Fruit Crisp

Ingredients:

• 4 cups stone fruit (plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines, cherries…whatever you like!) pitted and sliced into thick pieces. If using peaches, peel first; otherwise, the skins can stay on.
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup chambord
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

for the crisp:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup mixed nuts or seeds (I used sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds and chopped walnuts)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, diced and chilled

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the stone fruit, brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, chambord and corn starch. Toss to combine, then pour it all into a shallow baking dish (mine was a 9″ round, but you could also use a 12 x 8″ rectangular dish.)
3. For the topping, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, oats, nuts and seeds, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is in small gravel-sized pieces. Scatter evenly over the fruit.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the top is browned. Serve warm with ice cream, coconut sorbet or a dollop of whipped cream.

*loosely inspired by Barefoot Contessa’s “Plum Crunch” recipe. Photos by Camille.