Nectarine and Strawberry Crisp

I hope you’re enjoying your summer! We’ve been enjoying some ridiculous amounts of glorious sunshine here in Vancouver so we’ve been busy BBQing, beaching and picnicking! With all of the delicious fruit in season, I’m trying my best to put a healthy twist on summer… thus, I give you the fruit crisp.

I love crisps of any kind. Apple in the fall, strawberry rhubarb in the spring, and any combo of fresh fruit in the summer. They're quick and easy to put together. The hardest part of making a crisp is waiting for it to come out of the oven!

This is a basic crisp recipe. You can use any combination of fruit that you'd like or have on hand. I used nectarines and strawberries and paired it with an addictive crumb topping. Naturally, it was absolutely delicious and with all that fruit, dare I say, it is verging on healthy.

Serve warm and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.


Nectarine and Strawberry Fruit Crisp
Adapted from: Food Woolf

Ingredients

½ cup pecans
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
a pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 ripe nectarines, pitted and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup strawberries
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons unbleached flour
zest of one lemon, chopped fine

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F.

For the Topping
Chop the pecans to a medium to fine consistency. Combine the flour, the sugars, the salt and spice in a mixing bowl. Add the chilled butter in pieces and mix with your fingers until it becomes mealy. Add the nuts and mix until the flour mixture holds together when squeezed. Put aside.

For the Crisp
Mix the fruit in a medium-sized bowl and then add the sugar. Taste and adjust for sweetness (don’t over sugar the fruit). Dust the flour over the mixture and stir gently. Spoon the topping into a small cooking dish that is just big enough to hold the fruit. Mound a small amount in the center of the dish. Then, gently add the crisp mixture on top. Lightly push the crumble on top of the fruit mixture.

Place a cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven (to catch any overflow juices) and put the crisp dish on top. Bake in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the fruit juices are thickened and bubbling. The delicious smell of baked fruit will help you know when it’s close to being ready. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!