Blueberry Peach Crisp

As the Patriarch of the family, I was told I should take the lead for this first post. I opted to post a staple in this household: Fruit Crisp.

We make seasonal variations of this crisp year round. In the winter, apple-pear, and in the summer, blueberry-peach.

Always a crowd pleaser, this crisp is easy to throw together in a pinch.

Ingredients:

For the fruit base:

8 peaches, peeled and sliced into large chunks
2 dry pints (approximately 4 cups) fresh blueberries, washed
1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the topping:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 cup large flake oats
3/4 cup demerara style brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 sticks vegan margarine, cold, cut into cubes (eg. Earth Balance)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix fruit base ingredients into large bowl and transfer to a 9×13-inch pyrex dish.

Pulse the flour, oats, sugars, nutmeg and cinnamon in a food processor until well mixed.  Add the margarine and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Top the fruit with the mixture and bake for 45-50 minutes until fruit is bubbly.

This is our family’s traditional Friday night/Shabbat dessert in the summer when peaches and blueberries are fresh.  The crisp can be kept covered with foil and warmed until it is time to serve.  It also is a great Sunday evening cottage finale.  The topping can be made up to 2 days before and refrigerated in a large ziploc type bag.

Recipe can also be adapted to be made in individual ramekins. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

To make this gluten-free: You may substitute the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour and swap the oats for gluten-free oats.

Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days and served cold or reheated.

Science Fact of the Week:

Blueberries are rich with anthocyanins. In fact, anthocyanin levels are significantly higher in blueberries compared to other berries such as strawberries and raspberries. Anthocyanins can be considered antioxidants, and may be linked to a decreased risk of cancer and lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes.