Apple Crisp & Quick-Crystallized Ginger in a Classic Crisp + Seasonal Fruits

Ingredients

Quick-Crystalized Ginger

• 2
  
  tablespoons chopped ginger
  
• 2
  
  tablespoons sugar (preferably Demerara)
  
• 1/4
  
  cup water
  

Fruit & Topping

• 4
  
  cups apples*, chopped in chunks
  
• 1
  
  cup peaches or nectarines*, in chunks
  
• 1
  
  cup blueberries
  
• 1/4
  
  cup brown sugar
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 6
  
  tablespoons butter
  
• 1/4
  
  cup white sugar
  
• 1/4
  
  cup rolled oats
  
• 1/4
  
  cup quick cooking oats (or 1/2 cup total of either)
  
• 
  
  small amount of butter to grease the pan, sprinkle of salt
  

Directions

1. GINGER: Put the ginger, sugar and water in your smallest pan. Bring to a boil, lower to a fast simmer, cook until the ginger is translucent. (It doesn’t take long.)
2. FRUIT: Put all the fruit in a good-sized bowl with the ginger syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix it so everything is evenly distributed.
3. Transfer the fruit to an 8 X 8″ pan, greased with a little butter. Sprinkle with a little salt. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. CRISP: Cut the sugar into the butter. Sprinkle the oats over, then mix them in with forks (chopping motion) or, quickly so the butter does not get too soft from your body heat, with your fingers.
5. Break up the topping evenly over the fruit in the pan. Put it on a shelf in the upper third of the heated oven. Let it bake until the fruit is soft and the topping is browned. Check at 40 minutes, but it may take an hour, depending on the oven.
6. NOTE: The apples were commercial Granny Smith, with a waxed peel, peeled; Braeburn from a local farm — no need to peel. Peaches and nectarines, unpeeled. Choice is yours.