Serves 4 with leftovers
This is a recipe for the consummate late-summer dessert, but you can substitute other fruits (apples, blueberries) and nuts (pecans, hazelnuts) to delight guests at any time of year. Soft fruit and rich, chewy-crispy crumb topping offer a decadent and satisfying finish to your meal.
Ingredients:
8 large peaches
¾ cup flour plus 2 Tbsp.
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup sugar and ½ cup sugar, separated
½ cup (8 oz.) butter, softened
½ cup oats
½ cup chopped raw nut meats (such as walnuts or almonds), optional
To Make:
For filling, get peaches enough days ahead of serving that they have time to ripen. For a truly simple crumble, do not peel the peaches. Wash peaches and cut them into one inch chunks, removing any heavy pit fibers from the peach centers. (If you prefer to peel the peaches, go for it; boiling them for a minute usually makes skin removal easier. Then chunk them and continue with the preparations.)
Sprinkle cinnamon, ¼ cup sugar, and 2 Tbsp. flour on the peaches, then stir well. Spray or butter the inside of a medium baking dish, such as a deep dish 9” pie plate or a 9” glass baking dish. Spoon in peaches and level them.
For crumb topping, in the same bowl where you prepared the peaches, mix together butter, ½ cup sugar, ¾ cup flour, oats, and nutmeats (if using). Use your hands to make sure everything is well combined. Drop the topping evenly over the top of the fruit. Bake approximately 25 minutes at 350° or until fruit is bubbling and topping is browned and crisp.
To Serve:
Bring the crumble to the table (just out of the oven or at room temperature) and spoon portions into individual bowls. Hit with ice cream or fresh whipped cream on top.
With Blueberries
For the filling, substitute about three pints of blueberries for the peaches and 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg for the cinnamon, and add the juice from one-half fresh lemon.
With Apples
Mix together seven peeled, cored, and sliced apples in a microwave-safe bowl with three tablespoons of melted butter, ¼ cup brown sugar, and one teaspoon cinnamon. Cover loosely and heat in the microwave for about five minutes, stirring once.