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Nothing says summer better than a fruit crisp which effortlessly absorbs the season’s bounty. Let the market dictate your choice of fruit. Then fold the ripest gems – winey plums, tender pears, juicy blueberries – into your well loved and slightly worn ceramic dishes. Sprinkle with a little sugar and spice and crown it with a nutty streusel topping.
For this fruit crisp, I let the St. Helena farmers’ market do the talking.
and ended up with this:
Pear, Plum and Blueberry Crisp with Walnut Streusel
and Armagnac Whipped CreamÂ
Serves 8 to 10
Streusel:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
Armagnac Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Armagnac
Filling:
1 pint blueberries, divided
6 ripe but not too soft pears, such as Bartlett or Anjou, cut in 1-inch chunks
6 plums, pitted, cut in 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Prepare the streusel:
In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except the butter and walnuts. Add butter and work into the topping with your fingertips until the it resembles coarse meal. Stir in the walnuts. Cover and refrigerate until use.
Prepare the whipped cream:
Beat cream in bowl of electric mixer with a wire whisk until thickened. Add sugar and armagnac. Continue to beat until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until use. (May be made up to 4 hours in advance.)
Prepare the crumble:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.
Place half of the blueberries and the remaining filling ingredients in a large bowl. Gently stir to combine. Pour into the baking dish. Scatter the remaining blueberries over the filling. Spoon the streusel evenly over the top. Bake in the oven until the crisp is bubbly, the pears are soft, and the topping is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Remove and cool slightly. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
A delightful combination and dessert!
Cheers,
Rosa
This looks fantastic. The photographs are beautiful!
Thank you!
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So much lush summer fruit and so little time! The Pear, Plum, Blueberry Crisp is a splendid recipe to capture the sweet gems of summer, a stellar dessert!
I have tasted your summer fruit crisps and can vouch for their yumminess…
You and Larry have to come back and taste again!
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WOW! That IS scrumptious! I just made a little blackberry/blueberry sorbet, but compared to your production, my feeble attempt to celebrate the season leaves a lot to be desired… 😉
beautiful photos!
Damson plums are the BEST. I love making jam with them. This dessert make summer just sing. Love.
All that fruit looks wonderful!
so you are not tempted to make any slivoitz? What wonderful fruits for your crisp.. mouthwatering.. c
Next on my to-do list 🙂
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Girl after my own heart!! c
This is the kind of thing I serve for dessert and then eat for breakfast with a dollop of plain yogurt the next morning! Mmm…
I just love fruit crisps. Crisps, cobblers, buckles…anything involving fresh fruit, really. This looks wonderful, Lynda.
Thanks, MJ – and thanks for stopping by.
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Simple and luscious – definitely the way to celebrate summer fruit!
Who doesn’t love fruit in an amazing streusel. This would be the perfect dessert this summer.. paired with some ice cream. Yup, totally dreaming about this dessert 🙂
Great for summer fruit desserts! Also very good for health.
You know me…I’m a junkie for a good crisp. Love the walnut streusel on this!
That crisp looks divine and the combination of poached, roasted fruits and toasted nuts is so appealing.