Scrumptious Strawberry Crisp
Strawberries have always been one of the signatures of summer and while most of the time I will just go to the local market to pick up a pint or two, nothing beats going to a you-pick strawberry farm. You will have to check with your local farms as when they are best to be picked but around me, mid-June to early July is the ideal time to stop by and grab yourself some of the freshest strawberries you have ever had. You are not only getting some delicious fruit, but I think the activity is rather fun to do with family or friends. Not to mention, you will walk away with A LOT of strawberries; sometimes it feels like stealing with how affordable they are when you do this. Another bonus to going to a strawberry farm, they likely will have other fruits and veggies to pick.
There are so many strawberry dessert recipes and honestly, they are all delicious. Some are a bit more labor intensive, and others are as simple as washing and enjoying that fresh strawberry. This recipe lands right in the middle, if not leaning towards the fresh side. Some people call this type of dessert a crisp, others a crumble.
So, what’s the difference? Well, here in the states, nothing, the words are used interchangeably. If we look at the history of the dessert, we find a slightly different answer. The name crumble originated from England and would not contain oats in the topping. Crisps would contain oats and as the dessert bakes, the topping crisps up, hence the name. In both dishes, they contain fresh fruit with a streusel-like topping that gets baked until the fruit is cooked. Most importantly, they are both delectable and inviting treats.
This can be served all on its own, but I find pairing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade cinnamon & almond whipped cream to be pure bliss. I also want to give some warning though; you will pull this out of the oven and the smell of sweet strawberries will fill the kitchen and you will want to dive into the luscious bubbly pan as soon as possible. DON’T! Set that pan on a cooling rack and let it cool slightly, about 15 minutes. After that, scoop as much as your heart desires onto a plate or bowl and top with that homemade whipped cream.
What you need
Filling:
5 heaping cups fresh strawberries
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
Topping:
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° and grease a large baking dish with butter and set aside.
Hull and quarter strawberries. Combine the chopped strawberries and sugar in a large bowl and mix until the strawberries fully absorb the sugar. Add in the cornstarch and vanilla extract and stir until all of the strawberries are evenly coated. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
In a separate medium size bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and stir well until well coated and crumbly. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the strawberries.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving, about 15 minutes.
Serve warm with homemade whipped cream. Enjoy!
