WHO NEEDS SUGAR?
Smiles abound when tasty cobblers, crisps and crumbles hit the table
Do you crave dessert but prefer less sugar? Do you gravitate toward recipes that bake in no time? Then you’re in luck, because the diverse universe of quick, easy and, coincidentally, lower-sugar cobblers and crisps has you covered.
Fruity cobblers and crisps have been around since 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.
What these toppings had in common was that they were all pantry-friendly: 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 fruit-based, 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.