Berry and Peach Crisp

Author: Allison Anneser

As little girls, my neighbor, Kristine, and I loved to pick the blackberries that grew along the trail leading to our school. During the summer, we often played on the empty school playground then stopped on the way home to snack on the ripe, plump fruit.

One afternoon, we had a brilliant idea. We would have a “berry” stand. Instead of the usual lemonade stand, we’d sell berry products: pies, muffins, and jam. We sprinted home to grab our pails and returned with grand plans of being rich. As we picked the berries, the conversation digressed from business planning to windfall spending and all toys and treats we’d be able to buy.

Little did we realize that our expectations were way too high and our hunger way too tempting; we ate most of the profits. At the end of the afternoon, we barely covered the bottom of our buckets. Even if we did manage to fill our pails, we would have only made pocket change. We were baffled as to why our plans never came to fruition; it had been such a great idea.

Like many lessons learned in childhood, this one is still valuable today. I now appreciate the importance of planning, follow-through, and setting realistic expectations; but I also know what it feels like to pursue my passions and enjoy the journey along the way.

Nothing could be more fun than chatting about the future with a good friend on a warm summer afternoon while munching juicy blackberries. And there is nothing more decadent than a warm berry crisp right from the oven topped with melting vanilla ice cream.

As I experimented with different crumbles, crisps, and cobblers as well as a variety of berries, I’ve discovered an all-time favorite: Blueberry and Peach Crisp. Thanks to the versatility of this recipe, the berry combinations are endless. I like blueberries and peaches the best because they hold up well after baking, but blackberries and raspberries come in at a close second while strawberries usually soften too much.

Enjoy this “berry” delicious dessert!

Berry And Peach Crisp Recipe

Ingredients

1 C blackberries
1 C blueberries
1 C peaches, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch wedges
1 Tsp cornstarch
1 ½ C all-purpose unbleached flour (or whole wheat flour)
1 ½ C rolled oats
1 C brown sugar
1 C butter (2 sticks)
1 Tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° degrees F.
Lightly coat an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with butter.
In a large bowl, gently toss blueberries and peaches with cornstarch and set aside.
In a food processor (or separate bowl,) pulse flour, oats, sugar, and cinnamon until crumbly (not smooth).
Spread half the mixture in the bottom of the pan. Top with berry mixture and the other half of crumbs.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until lightly brown.

Fresh, ripe fruit is often sweet enough that sugar in the topping can be reduced or even eliminated. Frozen fruit also works well for a little taste of summer when berries might be hard to find.

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