Apple and Pear Crisp

There is usually a ton of fruit in our house - fresh, frozen, and canned. If nothing else, we always have lots of fresh apples and pears on hand. I even had to get a second fruit basket just for them. Because we eat so much of them, I am always trying to come up with special ways to use them up. An alternative to a labor-intensive pie, I love this crisp. It comes together quickly, it's not overly sweet, and it tastes just as good right out of the oven as it does cold the next morning.

 

Apple and Pear Crisp

Makes 9 servings

What I use:

• 3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (or sliced)
• 3 d'Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and chopped (or sliced)
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. white sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 1 c. old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 c. almonds
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (or apple pie spice)
• 4 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into 8 pieces

How I do it:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place the apples and pears in a large bowl.

3. Add the lemon juice, white sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1 Tbsp. flour on top of the apples and pears and toss to coat.

4. Spread the fruit mixture evenly in a greased 8 x 8 square baking dish.

5. Place the oats, almonds, 1/4 c. flour, brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and butter chunks into a food processor and pulse a few times, until crumbly and combined. Pour on top of fruit and spread evenly.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

7. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Serve hot, warm, room temperature, or cold. Enjoy as-is or top with ice cream, whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, creme fraiche, or caramel sauce.