Blueberry & Ginger Crisp Recipe

I love fresh fruit, especially this time of year when blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cherries are bursting with flavor. When making a blueberry dessert, one of my favorite ways to enjoy these colorful, juicy gems is in a fruit crisp, spiked with a surprise ingredient: crystallized ginger. 

I was getting ready to make a dessert to bring to a picnic when I took a quick inventory of my pantry to ensure that I had all of the necessary ingredients before I started mixing them. I noticed that I had a container of crystallized ginger, which was about half-full, and decided to incorporate it into the recipe since blueberries and ginger go so nicely together.

I also noticed that I had some peaches, which weren't quite nice enough to slice and eat with my yogurt and granola, so I decided to add those, too. I like to use what I have on hand, so as not to allow things to go to waste because they become stale, rotten, etc. 

The other thing I like to do when taking a crisp to a picnic is to use a deep foil pan with a plastic lid, so that traveling with the juicy dessert is spill-free, and there's nothing for me to wash and bring back after the fun is over.

As with any recipe, when preparing your dessert, be sure you take the time to measure everything out in advance to avoid the measuring mistakes that often come with multitasking while cooking (talking on the phone, listening to music, herding small children, etc. We all do it!).

I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I do. Remember to put your own twists on your favorites to make them your own!

Blueberry, Peach & Ginger Crisp

Filling:

• 4 pints fresh blueberries
• 1 pound pitted peaches, sliced
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 Tb. cornstarch
• 1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
• 2 tsp. vanilla (or dark rum)

Topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup almonds or pecans (slivers, pieces, etc.)
• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats (kettle style is best - avoid instant)
• 1/2 tsp. sea or kosher salt
• 4 oz. (1 stick) butter, melted

Method:

To make the filling, simply toss all of the ingredients together and allow to sit until you've made the topping. 

For the topping, mix the ingredients together until the butter is evenly distributed and the mixture clumps. 

Grease a casserole dish or foil pan with pan spray and pour the fruit mixture into the bottom. Top with the crumb topping. Place on a sheet pan (to catch dripping juice). Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until the crumb topping is golden brown and the juices thicken — about 30-45 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. Enjoy!