Crisp, Crumble or Crunch, it's all good

I love summer for, amongst other things, all the fresh fruit and vegetables it brings. The season kicks off for me with rhubarb and strawberry, two of my and B’s all time favourites. These are just about the best combination for crisp or crumble or crunch or whatever you call your sweetened fruit with an oatmeal, butter, sugar topping.

But it doesn’t stop there. As berries and fruit come into season, they are brought into the recipe either on their own or in a jumbleberry blend of any fruit combination available. What remains the same in every crisp made in my kitchen is the topping.

After some trial and error and experimentation I have found my perfect topping recipe. I like a sweet crunchy topping and if that’s what you like too, you might want to give this recipe a try.

 

What goes under the topping? Limitless possibilities. I have used it for individual fruits and berries or multiple different combinations. The topping recipe will cover up to an 8 x 8 inch pan of fruit, just double the recipe for a larger pan. I use 4 – 6 cups of fruit for the filling depending upon the size of pan I use. I have a small glass baking dish that is perfect for making a crisp for two, I'll use half the topping and freeze the rest for another time.

Add ¼ to ½ cup of white sugar depending upon how sweet or tart the fruit and 2 – 3 tablespoons of uncooked tapioca depending upon how juicy the fruit. I like the texture tapioca adds rather than using corn starch or flour as a thickener.

My last crumble filling consisted of rhubarb and strawberries I'd frozen earlier in the summer, peaches and wild blueberries purchased at the Alderney Farmers Market, gooseberries from the Summerside Farmers Market and a few raspberries and blackberries from the back yard. Best one yet!

 

Fruit Crisp Topping

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine softened

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Mix together first 3 ingredients.
3. Blend in butter or margarine (I use my hands) til large clumps form.
4. Sprinkle to cover fruit/berries.
5. Bake for 30 -40 minutes until topping is golden brown & filling is bubbling.