Palisade Peach Crisp

I have always loved making crisps with seasonal fruit.  The topping can come together quickly, and unlike pies, there’s no dough to roll out.  For over two decades I’ve used the same basic recipe as my guide, and at this time of year, Palisade Peach Crisp is what’s in order. Palisade peaches from Western Colorado reach their peak in late July and August.  The farmers’ markets, grocery stores, and even some street corners have crates of the recently harvested fuzzy gems available for purchase.  This lovely window of time for outstanding fruit convinces me every year to return to a tried-and-true recipe and make a crisp.

Fruit is the Star

I’ve adapted the fruit crisp recipe in Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (1997 edition) for this dessert.  Madison suggests adding a cup each of raspberries and blackberries to the fruit filling in her Peach Crisp recipe.  But I wanted the golden peaches to shine on their own, so I proceeded that way.

Before peeling the peaches, I add fresh lemon juice to the bowl that I cut them into. It helps to prevent browning and provides an acidic hint that is counterbalanced by the sugar in the dish.  A bit of flour helps to thicken the peach juices as the crisp bakes and then cools.

I don’t add spices to my peach filling (but do for apples or blueberries or plums).  The spices in the topping provide enough zing for my taste.

A Crunchy Topping

I like the nubbly texture of a crisp topping, sometimes using oats and other times using nuts, and often using both for both taste and texture.  I like using thinly sliced almonds with peaches as their flavors work together so well. They’re both in the botanical family Prunus, and I’ve seen the peach and the almond referred to as “botanical sisters.”

Brown sugar in the topping ensures a touch of caramel flavor.  I also like to add a hint of cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg.

After placing the prepared peaches in the bowl, I sprinkle the topping mix over the fruit, trying to cover the peaches completely.

The crisp bakes in under an hour, during which your house fills with the most enticing aromas. Then the difficult part comes—waiting for the crisp to cool before dishing it out for everyone to enjoy.

Scooping through the crumbly top to reach the silky soft peach filling reassures you that this is going to be a delectable dessert.

A Recipe That Is Very Adaptable

Once you get used to the proportions of topping to fruit, you can use this recipe in creative ways.  You can vary the nuts used in the topping to complement whichever fruit is beneath. You can also easily make this a gluten-free recipe by subbing a GF flour for the all-purpose flour, using GF oats, and thickening the fruit with cornstarch or tapioca.  Another trick I tried this summer is to replace the oats and nuts portion of the recipe with a muesli mix. If you’re allergic to nuts, you can leave them out entirely.  No one will complain!

Whatever kind of crisp you create, each portion will become more delectable with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top.

Your end of summer deserves a good treat.  This is definitely one.

Palisade Peach Crisp

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie

A summertime treat that combines fresh peaches with a crumbly, spiced topping.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Cooling time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

Topping

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Peach mixture

• Juice of one lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 ¼ pounds fresh ripe peaches
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or 3 tablespoons, see note)

For serving

• vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

 

For the topping

• Combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium size bowl until mixed well. Cut the butter into 6 or more portions and add to the flour mixture. Use two knives or your fingers to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture. It should end up like crumbly sand with a few lumps. Add the sliced almonds and mix until combined thoroughly. Set aside.

For the fruit filling

• Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-2 1/2 quart baking dish with sides over 2 inches high. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Peel the peaches. You can do this with a paring knife or vegetable peeler one by one, or you can bring a medium size pot of water to boil (with water deep enough for peaches to totally submerge later on). When the water is boiling, drop the peaches in for 10 seconds, then move them to a bowl of iced water. The skins will easily slip off.
• Squeeze the lemon juice into the bottom of a large bowl. Cut each peach into 1/2-inch slices, dropping the slices directly into the lemon juice. After every 2 or 3 peaches, toss the slices in the juice to help prevent discoloring. Discard the stones.
• Mix the flour and sugar together, and then sprinkle half over the peach slices. Gently stir the flour mixture into the peaches as you add the second half of the flour mixture. It should coat all the slices. Transfer the peaches to the baking dish.
• Sprinkle the topping mixture over the peaches, trying to distribute it evenly and cover the top of the fruit. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any juices that might overflow.
• Bake the crisp for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the juices from the fruit are bubbling around the edges.
• Cool on a wire rack for about an hour before serving.

For serving

• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream are delicious on top.

Notes

Adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (1997).

If peaches are especially juicy, add 1 additional tablespoon of flour to the fruit mixture.

Crisp topping can be made ahead and refrigerated (covered or in a sealed bag) for 3 days or frozen for 6 months. You can also double or triple the crisp topping recipe to have lots on hand in the freezer.