About this recipe
Get ready for fall comfort in every bite with this irresistibly easy apple, pear and blackberry crisp.
“This is such a fall treat. It’s so easy. It can be dressed up, it can be dressed down,” said Jessie-Sierra Ross, author and content director of “Straight to the Hips, Baby” and “Seasons Around the Table.”
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This apple, pear and blackberry crisp uses fresh fall fruit to make an ooey gooey and crunchy dessert. The pears amplify the flavors of the apples, and brown sugar creates a lovely caramel flavor. You may not be able to taste the ginger, but it adds a wonderful warmth to the dish.
Cold butter is super important for a crisp. Ross explained that cold butter melts slower in the oven, creating pockets for a crisp texture. Use a small brownie pan or lasagne dish to bake the crisp until bubbly and golden.
While the terms crumble, crisp and cobbler are often used interchangeably, they are all distinctively different desserts. Crumbles are made from flour, sugar and butter, and crisps use those ingredients plus oatmeal and nuts. A cobbler, on the other hand, features a biscuit topping.
Ingredients
Fruit Filling
Crisp Topping
Directions
Fruit Filling
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and reserve the middle rack. Wash and dry all of the fruit.
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Peel and core the apples. Cut into 1/8 inch thick slices and add to a large bowl.
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Cut the pear away from the core and cut into 1/8 inch slices. Add to the bowl with the blackberries.
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Sprinkle on the salt, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar.
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Add the vanilla extract and ground ginger if using.
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Stir well and set aside.
Crisp Topping
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Using a butter knife, cube the cold butter into a medium sized bowl.
TIP:
Cold butter is important because it melts slower in the oven, creating pockets for a crisp texture. -
Add the flour, sugar, rolled old-fashioned oats, and slivered almonds.
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Sprinkle in the ground cinnamon and salt.
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Using your hands, firmly combine the butter with the dry ingredients until a crumbly texture forms.
TIP:
Non-latex gloves work well. Break up the butter as much as possible until you have a loose, sandy-like dough.
Assembly
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In a medium sized baking dish, add the fruit mixture and spread evenly.
TIP:
A 10 x 8 inch, 2 1/2 quart dish works well. Do not press the fruit mixture.
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Sprinkle the crisp topping all over the fruit in one even layer.
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Bake on the center rack for 50 to 55 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
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Remove and let cool on a baking rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
TIP:
The crisp will be very hot immediately after baking.
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