Recipe: Apple, Pear + Blueberry Crisp

Okay, so I wouldn’t consider myself a chef or a baker by any means but I do love playing in the kitchen and with apples + pears in season, I wanted to share my version of one my favorite desserts of all time — crisps + cobblers!

Before my boyfriend came around, I didn’t have much of a sweet tooth. He, on the other hand, likes all the sweets — candy, cookies + especially ice cream, which I’m a sucker for now! But ever since I was a kid, I always opted for fruits like strawberries, apples or peaches as dessert. That’s just what my mama raised me on! Which is why crisp + cobblers are my all time favorite dessert. All the combinations you can create make it easy to satisfy all your guests. Plus, they fill your entire home with an array of fall smells!

I remember when I was younger, my mom would make this peach + blueberry crisp with a pecan topping + I asked her to make it all the damn time. The blueberries oozed out this rich purple color + the peaches made it so sweet + juicy. This time around, I replaced the peaches with a mix of apples + pears since they’re in season for fall + added some blueberries for a pop of color. The natural sweetness from the fruits allows you to take away sugar if you’re watching your sugar intake. I still added a little extra sweetness to mine though! Then to give it some crunch, I finished it off with the pecan topping.

Big thanks to my ma for helping me recreate this special dessert!

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For the pecan topping:

  • 2/3 all purpose flour

  • 2 sticks of softened unsalted butter

  • 1/2 cup of light brown sugar

  • A few dashes of cinnamon

  • A dash of salt

  • 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats

  • 1/2 chopped pecans

Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt + oats in a small bowl. Work the butter with your hands or a mixer until it’s finely clumped. Then mix in the pecans last. Set aside.

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For the filling:

  • 4 peeled, red apples

  • 4 peeled pears

  • 1 small container of blueberries

  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and/or orange juice

  • 1/4 cup of sugar

  • 1/4 all purpose flour

  • A few dashes of cinnamon

  • A few dashes of nutmeg

With your hands, mix in all ingredients. Fill a baking pan with the filling + sprinkle the pecan topping last. Bake at 350º for one hour then broil for 2-3 minutes or until the topping is crisp + well-browned. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Photography by Courtney Honigsberg

Photography by Courtney Honigsberg

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