A few days ago, my mom came over with a half-bushel of peaches she’d picked up at an orchard outside of town. Standing over the sweet-smelling box, we couldn’t resist having just one… then another… and another. Hovering above the sink, slurping away at the mouthwatering gems, I was inspired to make this week’s recipe. Too often, fruit desserts undervalue the natural sweetness of fresh fruit and are overloaded with added sugar. This fresh peach crumble recipe proves that you don’t need to guild the lily, keeping it simple with real, whole ingredients and only a minimal amount of brown sugar. It’s written for two portions, but can easily be multiplied for larger gatherings.
Here’s what you’ll need:
For the filling:
- 2-4 fresh peaches (depending on the size of the peaches, and the size of your ramekins), skins removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 t. whole wheat flour
- ½ t. cinnamon
- 1 t. brown sugar
For the topping:
- 3 T. brown sugar
- 2 T. rolled oats
- 1 T. whole wheat flour
- ½ t. cinnamon
- 3 T. cold butter or coconut oil
Start by preheating the oven to 375. Next, you need to blanch and peel the peaches. While the oven is heating, bring a pot of water to a boil, and make a bowl of ice water large enough to hold your whole peaches. Add the whole peaches to the boiling water and let boil for 1-2 minutes. Scoop them out and place them into the ice water. You should now be able to easily slide the skins off under the water. If not, let them boil for another 30 seconds or so and repeat.
Once the peaches are peeled, slice them into 1 to 2-inch pieces and put them in a bowl. Add the flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar and toss until the peaches are thoroughly coated. Fill your baking dish(es) with the peaches.
To make the topping, combine the brown sugar, oats, wheat flour, and cinnamon in a bowl (your now empty peach bowl will work nicely) and add the butter or coconut oil. Mix well with your fingers or a fork until well blended; the mixture should just hold together when squeezed in your hand.
Sprinkle the topping over the peaches and bake for 15-20 minutes until the topping is lightly browned and the peaches are bubbly.
Let cool for 5-10 minutes before digging in.
