Peach Crisp

I’m not sure why I waited until peaches are almost out of season to finally make a peach dessert recipe but that’s the way it worked. I had a certain kind of dessert in mind and it took some time to find. This recipe is not overly sweet so you can add a scoop of ice cream with it and you won’t crash 30 minutes later from a sugar high. The topping contains less butter than usual crisps but it’s tastes just as good and the yogurt keeps it moist.

First, a bit about peaches.

I love a good ripe peach, all fragrant and juicy. However, I get frustrated when I get home and the peaches are crunchy, dry bombs. After a little research, I now know what to look for and when.

While peaches are ready as early as May and available until late September, the peach season is at its peak in July and August. Whenever possible, visit local orchards or fruit stands as many grocery store peaches were plucked from the vine too early.

To select peaches, examine the area around the stem, it indicates ripeness when picked. The stem cavity should be wide and open. An unripe peach’s stem cavity will be narrow and restricted. For the sweetest peaches, look at the peach’s base color. Regardless of shade (cream, yellow, orange, etc.), the lightest color should be a warm hue. In other words, a good peach will have no green undertones.

Also, be gentle with the peach. Squeezing them will cause the peach to bruise. However, it is perfectly fine to pick a bruised peach as many of them are extremely sweet and the bruises are harmless.

Peach Crisp

Fruit:
6-8 ripe peaches, peeled and either sliced or cubed
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoons cornstarch

Crisp:
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
big pinch of salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup yogurt

Place the chopped fruit in a medium-sized bowl.

In a separate small bowl whisk together the sugar and the cornstarch. Sprinkle over the fruit, mix gently but well. Transfer the fruit to a greased 8×8 inch square baking dish.

For the topping, combine the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the yogurt (when the butter has cooled sufficiently) and mix until it comes together in a dough-like texture. Drop little balls the crumble evenly over the peach mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees for between 30-35 minutes, or until the topping is golden and bubbly.

Serve warm with ice cream.

-amy c