Peach Crumble
Years and years ago, my very new in-laws were driving into Yakima for a visit. My husband and I had bought our first house and embarked on an aggressive remodel with a shoestring budget. We had all the energy and naivety of twenty-somethings with no expertise and lots of good intentions.
If memory serves me, we’d roped my father-in-law into helping us with a project and my mother-in-law decided to tag along (probably to see just what kind of a mess we’d gotten ourselves into).
I was so excited for their visit. It was summer by then and we’d been working through renovations for several months at that point. I can’t remember anymore exactly what the project was for that specific weekend but I do remember deciding a homemade peach pie would be the perfect way to say thank you for all the help.
This was still in the time of ripping pages from magazines and dog-earing cookbooks to find new recipes. I had stumbled across a peach pie recipe in Better Homes and Gardens (my favorite magazine for years) that called for a crumble topping that included oats, brown sugar, sweetened coconut flakes and pecans.
I’d never made a pie before. But I was determined to make the perfect peach pie. I followed the recipe to a T and after working for two days to make the homemade crust, the filling and the topping; I proudly presented the pie only to find out my father-in-law hates pie. As in, not one bite, hates pie.
I was devastated and a little confused because honestly, who hates pie? But in the end it all worked out because the peaches were overcooked and the pie itself was a juicy soggy mess. I had a lot to learn when it came to making pies and well, my father-in-law still hates them. Almost 20 years later, we still laugh until our ribs hurt every time that story comes up.
These days, I tend to lean on rustic galettes or crisps and crumbles when I’m looking for a summery fruit dessert. This easy classic crumble recipe is jazzed up with the addition of a little sweetened coconut flakes in the crumble topping. The pie from years ago might have been a disaster but the combination of peaches, brown sugar and coconut is one I return to again and again.
I love making crumbles all summer long because the fruit-forward nature of the dessert is perfect for highlighting whatever happens to be in season at the moment. In late spring, early summer I love to use this recipe except swap the peaches for strawberries and rhubarb or tart cherries. I skip the coconut in the crumble but other than that, keep the recipe just as it is. As summer goes along, I love to use mixed berries and often combine blueberries with the peaches.
One of my favorite summer past times is to head up towards White or Chinook Pass looking for huckleberries. We hike a bit of the Pacific Crest Trail or walk right up the ski runs at White Pass where the huckleberries are plentiful. Huckleberries added to a peach crumble is the kind of treat you dream of in the dead of winter. After a day of tromping around in the woods, nothing tastes better than a warm peach crumble, a dollop of cold homemade whipped cream melting over the top. Some might even argue this could stand in for dinner on a hot summer night.
Summer Peach Crumble
2 pounds peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Juice of half a small lemon
3 tablespoons melted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a 12x10 or similar size baking dish combine the peaches, sugar and two tablespoons all-purpose flour. Gently stir to combine, making sure the peaches are evenly coated with the sugar and flour. Gently spread the peaches evenly across the baking dish.
In a separate bowl combine the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and flaked coconut. Stir to combine. Melt the butter in the microwave until just barely melted (a bit of solid butter is just fine). Pour the melted butter and heavy cream over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Crumble the dough over the peaches and bake for about 30 minutes (baking time is going to depend a little bit on how large or small the baking dish is, a smaller dish with more fruit stacked on itself will take a few extra minutes). The crumble is done when the juice from the fruit is bubbling along the edges and the crumble is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Portion servings into shallow bowls and top with vanilla ice cream or homemade vanilla whipped cream.
Homemade Vanilla Whipped Cream
1 cup very cold heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Tiny pinch grated nutmeg
Using a hand or stand mixer, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Whip on medium high for 3 to 5 minutes until stiff peaks form in the cream. Transfer to a dish for serving and save extras in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.