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A Fruitful Crisp for the 4th of July

Posted by Lucy Baker, July 3, 2008 at 4:50 PM

This week for my magazine recipe review I wanted to tackle a classic, American summer dessert perfect for the 4th of July. Initially, I had my heart set on baking the Red, White, and Blueberry Shortcakes from the July issue of Bon Appétit. What could be more festive or color-appropriate? But after careful consideration I decided against it. While the recipe seems spectacular, it also looks time-consuming and a bit labor-intensive when it comes to assembling and serving the shortcakes. The 4th is all about spending time outside with family and friends, not indoors in a hot kitchen. I wanted to make something as quick and easy as it was delicious.

Nectarine-Raspberry Crisp with Spiced-Oatmeal Crumb Topping, also from the July Bon Appétit, fit the bill. The ingredient list was short and the preparation simple—even the nectarines are left unpeeled. Fruit crisps and crumbles are incredibly homey, comforting, and honest. They also travel well, so if you’re a party guest as opposed to host this Independence Day, a crisp would make a perfect pot-luck dish.

This version turned out unbelievably juicy and syrupy, with just the right balance of sweet and tart flavors. The cardamom in the crumb topping provided an unexpected note of spicy complexity, enlivening the standard cinnamon-oatmeal combination. While it may not consist of flag-inspired hues, this crisp will definitely dazzle—especially when topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Nectarine-Raspberry Crisp with Spiced-Oatmeal Crumb Topping

- makes 6 to 8 servings -
Adapted from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients

Topping:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly

Fruit:
2 pounds nectarines, halved, pitted, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Procedure

For the topping: Mix flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cardamom in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture comes together in small clumps.

For the fruit: Position rack in center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Butter an 11 x 7 x 2-inch glass baking dish (note: I didn’t have one, so I used a 9x9 and it worked fine). Combine the nectarines, raspberries, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl; toss to blend. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit. Bake until fruit mixture is bubbling and topping is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

1 Comment | Tags: 4th of July, berries, crisps, desserts, nectarines, raspberries