Monday, May 26, 2008

Fresh Apricot Crisp


I went to the farmer's market on Sunday and was elated to find so many delicious fruits in season!!! Apricots have arrived, and they aren't in season for that long. So, I bought a LOT. You should do the same.

Besides eating the apricots plain, I wanted a simple recipe that would let me taste the freshness of the fruit. The rest of the year I can prepare apricot recipes that call for dried or canned apricots. So today, instead of a yeast or quick bread, or even a cake, I wanted something like a fruit crisp, or cobbler, or pie, that did little to the fruit. I looked through all my cookbooks and came up short and unfulfilled. I went online in search of the perfect simple apricot recipe but online also left something to be desired. The recipe below is my attempt to combine many recipes and my basic baking knowledge, and put together an apricot recipe that, as luck would have it, turned out pretty darn yummy, if I do say so myself!


Fresh Apricot Crisp
8 cups (about 3 lb.) sliced fresh apricots
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup apricot brandy or orange juice
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp. plus 1/4 cup flour, divided
1 cup chopped walnuts, divided
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. If using a glass dish, bake at 350 degrees F. Gently toss apricots in sugar, brandy or orange juice, and lemon juice. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour on the apricots and gently toss again. Spread apricot mixture into a buttered or sprayed 8-inch square pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and remaining 1/4 cup flour. Use a pastry blender or your hands to cut butter into rolled oat mixture; mixture should be crumbly. Add remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and mix. Sprinkle this oat-walnut mixture over the apricots. Bake about 25 minutes, maybe more, until apricots are tender and topping is golden brown. Better to have it slightly overcooked than slightly under. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or cream, or all by its lonesome delicious self.

Step-by-Step in Pictures

I weighed out 3 lbs. of apricots.



Sliced them.



Treated the slices to sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, and flour.



Started on the topping.



Cut butter into the oat mixture (I used margarine).



Should look like this crumbly mixture.



Baked it up!


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your pictures are fantastic. Thanks for creating this apricot crisp recipe. I will definitely try it with the apricots on my very own tree!

Marni said...

joyce - You're too kind. I hope you do make this and report back! I am jealous of your tree, though farmer's market apricots are sublime...I just have to pay for them. heehee

Jays said...

Can I do the same thing with peaches? How ripe should the peaches be when I make it?

Marni said...

deborah - yes this would be delicious with peaches instead! you might use a peach liqueur instead, though. and the peaches should be ripe, with soft flesh that easily cuts with a knife. the baking time isn't that long, so if you use hard peaches, they won't soften enough during baking. enjoy!

Anonymous said...

I have a loaded apricot tree, and will try this BUT I'll make it with butter. The calories are the same as margarine, and it sure tastes better.

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