Low sugar, quick bake desserts let fruit flavours shine
Do you crave dessert but prefer less sugar and, in tandem, less guilt? Do you gravitate toward recipes that bake in no time and don’t heat your balmy summer kitchen much? Then you’re in luck, because the diverse universe of quick, easy and, coincidentally, lower-sugar cobblers and crisps has you covered.
Summery-souled, fruity cobblers and crisps have been around since Colonial days, when British and European settlers brought their recipes with them. Those bakers were adept at using what was seasonally copious, combining it with a few pantry ingredients for a sweet course that was satisfying and, as far as desserts go, nutritious.
The variations in toppings — crumbles, crisps, batter and biscuit dough — probably stemmed from regional and cultural preferences, as well as what a baker had on hand. Extra pie trimmings, or leftover biscuit dough might do double duty as a cobbler top, while a nub of butter with some brown sugar and oats made a quick crisp topping. What these toppings had in common was that they were all pantryfriendly: sugar, butter, milk or buttermilk, flour or oatmeal, and a touch of cinnamon or spice.
One person’s crisp is another’s brown betty; a cobbler might be called a buckle by someone else, but there are slight differences. They are all similar desserts with different names. What they have in common is they are fruitbased, baked in a skillet or casserole, and have a topping but not a bottom.
Crisps, crumbles and betties all feature a crisp and clumpy topping of butter, sugar, flour and/or oatmeal. Cobblers are topped with a biscuit, pie dough or soft batter, with the dough or batter dolloped on top of the fruit. Buckles, the precursors to present-day coffee cakes, are similar to cobblers, but the fruit is generally folded in.
There is also a slew of derivatives — from grunts and slumps to sonkers and pandowdies — all homespun desserts of fruit and something floury and sweet to tie it all together.
Peach Apricot Buttermilk Cobbler
This is also known as a buckle. Adding some finely minced dried apricots naturally sweetens this recipe and intensifies the taste of the peach-apricot filling. A bit of turbinado sugar on top adds sparkle and brings out the country flavour of this summery cobbler. The fruit caramelizes slightly while the topping puffs up and turns golden with a texture somewhere between a scone and a biscuit. For a deeper Southern flavour, replace half the flour with cornmeal.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
For the filling 1⁄2 cup (65 grams) dried apricots
2⁄3 cup (160 millilitres) boiling water
4 medium peaches (475 g), halved, pitted and cut into eighths (about 3 cups)
5 apricots (400 g), pitted and quartered (about 2 1⁄2 cups)
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) fresh orange juice (from 1 orange)
3 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder For the topping
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose or whole-wheat flour
1⁄4 cup (50 or 60 g) granulated or light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt
1⁄4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) buttermilk or Greek yogurt 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp turbinado sugar
Active: 30 minutes; total: 65 minutes
For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter or spray an 8-inch square pan. Place the dried apricots in a small bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain, dry and then finely mince the apricots. In a medium bowl, mix the reconstituted apricots, peaches, fresh apricots, orange juice, sugar and cornstarch (or arrowroot powder). Gently toss to combine and transfer to the prepared baking dish. For the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir in the melted butter, then the buttermilk or yogurt, egg and vanilla until combined. The topping mixture will be thick and sticky. Drop dollops of the topping over the fruit. Dust with the turbinado sugar. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping turns light golden brown. Serve warm. Nutrition (based on 10 servings): 200 calories; 6 grams fat (4 g saturated fat); 35 milligrams cholesterol; 115 mg sodium; 34 g carbohydrates; 2 g fibre; 18 g sugar; 3 g protein. From food writer and cookbook author Marcy Goldman.
Bumbleberry Crumble
Here is a quartet of sweet and vibrant fruits — cherries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries — collectively referred to as bumbleberry. An extra-generous crown of the crispy oatmeal topping offers a buttery, crumbly contrast to the preserve-like jammy fruit filling. In the summer, use the plentiful fresh berries, but feel free to use frozen in the winter.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
For the topping
1 1⁄2 cups (145 grams) old-fashioned oatmeal 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose or white whole-wheat flour
1⁄2 cup (120 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1⁄8 teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
1⁄2 cup (8 tablespoons/113 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
1 tsp vanilla extract For the filling
2 cups (270 g) blackberries
2 cups (300 g) blueberries
2 cups (250 g) raspberries
1 cup (125 g) pitted fresh or frozen cherries, halved 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1⁄3 cup (67 g) sugar
1 tbsp mild honey
1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Active: 25 minutes; total: 65 minutes
Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously spray a 3-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
For the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the oatmeal, flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter, work in the butter until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are pea-size. Stir in the vanilla.
For the filling: In another medium bowl, toss the blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries and lemon juice together. Sprinkle in the sugar, add the honey and cornstarch (or arrowroot powder), and, using a wood spoon, stir to combine. Spoon the fruit into the prepared baking dish and then top as evenly as possible with the oatmeal mixture.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until fruit starts to bubble around the edges and the topping turns golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let the cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Nutrition (based on 8 servings): 390 calories; 13 grams total fat (8 g saturated fat); 30 milligrams cholesterol; 20 mg sodium; 66 g carbohydrate; 7 g fibre; 35 g sugar; 5 g protein.
From food writer and cookbook author Marcy Goldman.
Strawberry Roasted Rhubarb Crisp
A little oven roasting helps to intensify the rhubarb’s tartsweet flavour and makes the fruit jammy and tender. If you want a gluten-free version, use almond meal to replace the flour and ensure your oats are gluten-free. Makes 6 to 8 servings For the fruit
3 cups (375 grams) chopped (in 1-inch pieces) rhubarb, from about 1 1⁄2 medium stalks
3 tablespoons light brown sugar, firmly packed 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 cups (300 g) small strawberries (halved, if berries are large), hulled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbsp mild honey
2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder For the topping
3⁄4 cup (65 g) old-fashioned oats
3⁄4 cup (94 g) all-purpose or white whole-wheat flour
1⁄3 cup (75 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed A pinch fine sea or kosher salt
4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter
Half-and-half, for serving (optional)
Active: 30 minutes; total: 70 minutes
For the rhubarb: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the rhubarb on the baking sheet and add the brown sugar and orange juice, tossing gently with your hands to coat the pieces. Roast the rhubarb about 20 minutes, or until it has softened and juices run on the pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F.
Transfer the rhubarb to a 2½to 3-quart, oven-safe casserole dish and add the strawberries and vanilla. Toss gently to combine, then add the honey and cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) and gently stir to combine.
For the topping: In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work in the butter to make a rough, crumbly mixture.
Spread the topping mixture evenly over the fruit. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest five minutes before serving. Serve warm, as is, or with halfand-half.
Nutrition (based on 8 servings): 230 calories; 7 grams total fat (5 g saturated fat); 15 milligrams cholesterol; 40 mg sodium; 40 g carbohydrates; 3 g fibre; 21 g sugar; 3 g protein.
From food writer and cookbook author Marcy Goldman.