25 minutes
A delightful dessert featuring caramelized apples or pears topped with a buttery, nutty streusel.
Unsalted Butter, softened, divided
0 oz
Apples, cored, and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
0 lb
White Sugar, divided
cups
All Purpose Flour, optional whole wheat or whole-grain spelt
cups
Packed Brown Sugar, dark preferred
cups
teaspoons
teaspoons
Toasted Pepitas Or Coarsely Chopped Nuts, toasted
cups
1. Preheat Oven and Melt Butter
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter until browned.
2. Sauté Fruit
Add the sliced apples or pears to the skillet along with 2 tablespoons of white sugar. Sauté the fruit for about 10 minutes, until it softens and caramelizes slightly.
3. Prepare Streusel Mixture
While the fruit is cooking, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup of white sugar, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Add Butter to Streusel
Work the remaining 6 tablespoons of softened butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Mix in Nuts
Stir in the toasted pepitas or chopped nuts into the streusel mixture.
6. Top Fruit with Streusel and Bake
Evenly top the sautéed fruit with the streusel mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and crispy.
7. Cool and Serve
Allow the fruit crisp to cool slightly before serving warm or at room temperature.
Opt for a mix of fruits that offer a balance of sweetness and acidity, as well as different textures. Apples, pears, and stone fruits work well, with a handful of berries for color and brightness.
Work cold, cubed butter into dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form for a crisp yet tender topping. Leave larger pea-sized bits of butter for a rustic texture.
Use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet for even heat distribution, to caramelize the fruit base, and create an evenly baked topping.
Let the crisp rest for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow juices to thicken and settle.
Add toasted, chopped nuts to the topping for crunch and complexity. Use fresh nuts to avoid bitterness.
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