Delectable summer fruit bakes up beautifully
Chocolate is my default dessert mode. I eat enough berries, peaches, apricots and plums out of hand in the summer that I never feel a great urgency to use them when I’m baking. But then something such as this Summer Fruit Crumble comes along, and I’m reminded how delightful it is to incorporate some of the season’s best fruit into a simple, comforting treat.
My favorite rendition, however, was a mixed-berry number, with blueberries, blackberries, cherries and raspberries. Peaches were quite nice, too, if a little soupier. The bottom line — use whatever you like or have in excess.
Ideally, you will be making this in an 11-by8-inch baking dish, with sides at least 2 inches tall.
A ceramic or other nonglass dish is needed because they can tolerate being run under the broiler, which helps brown the topping. (Glass cannot tolerate the broiler.)
A dessert such as this naturally calls for being served with ice cream, heavy cream or whipped cream. Summer fruit crumble Makes 6 to 8 servings Adapted from “Maida Heatter’s Book of Great American Desserts,” by Maida Heatter. For the fruit:
Unsalted butter, for the baking dish cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 cups fresh fruit, such as blackberries, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, plums, cherries or apricots (pitted and coarsely chopped or sliced as needed)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
(from 1 lemon)
For the crumble:
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon nutmeg,
preferably freshly grated ¼ cup granulated sugar ½ cup packed light or dark
brown sugar
1 stick cold unsalted butter,
cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use quick-cooking or instant)
1 cup toasted nuts of your choice, such as pecans, almonds or hazelnuts, chopped (optional)
For the fruit: Generously grease baking dish with butter.
Combine the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Add the fruit; use a flexible spatula to gently toss together. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, spreading it evenly. If there is any remaining sugar mixture at the bottom of the bowl, scatter it evenly over the fruit, then drizzle the lemon juice evenly over it. Wipe out the bowl, because you will use it for the next step.
For the crumble: Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk or sift together the flour, nutmeg and granulated sugar in the same mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, stirring to incorporate. Add the butter; use your fingers, a pastry blender or two table knives to quickly work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs (not too fine). Stir in the oats.
To assemble, scatter the nuts, if using, over the fruit. Then scatter the crumble evenly over the top.
Bake (middle rack) for 25 to 30 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling at the edges.
Switch the oven to broil for a minute or so to further brown the crumble topping a bit — watch it carefully to avoid burning.
Serve warm, or at room temperature.
Note: Toast the nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant, shaking the pan to avoid scorching. Cool completely before using.
PER SERVING (based on 8): 330 calories, 3 g protein, 56 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 38 g sugar, 12 g fat (8 g saturated), 30 mg cholesterol, 0 sodium