Peach Melba Crisp
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 21, 2012
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes macerating and 30 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
FILLING
2 tablespoons instant tapioca 2 ½ pounds (1134 grams) fresh peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch wedges, or 1 ¾ pounds (794 grams) frozen sliced peaches, thawed¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces/50 grams) granulated sugar ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 10 ounces (283 grams/2 cups) raspberriesTOPPING
½ cup (2 ½ ounces/71 grams) all-purpose flour ¼ cup packed (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) brown sugar ¼ cup (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled½ cup (1 ½ ounces/43 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats ½ cup pecans, choppedBefore You Begin
Do not use quick or instant oats in this recipe. Measure the tapioca, which may be sold as “Minute Tapioca,” before grinding it.
Instructions
- Grind tapioca in spice grinder to fine powder, about 30 seconds. Gently toss peaches with sugar and salt in bowl and let sit, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Drain peaches through colander set inside bowl; reserve peach juice. Return drained peaches to original bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons reserved peach juice, ground tapioca, lemon juice, and vanilla. Transfer to 8-inch square baking dish and press gently into even layer. Top peaches with raspberries.
- While peaches are macerating, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in food processor and process until combined, about 15 seconds. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles wet sand, about 8 pulses. Add oats and pecans and pulse until mixture forms marble-size clumps and no loose flour remains, about 15 pulses. Chill mixture for at least 15 minutes. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Distribute topping evenly over fruit. Bake until topping is well browned and fruit is bubbling around edges, about 30 minutes, rotating dish halfway through baking. Cool on wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Serve.
for the filling
for the topping
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes macerating and 30 minutes coolingYield
Serves 6Ingredients
FILLING
2 tablespoons instant tapioca
2 ½ pounds (1134 grams) fresh peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch wedges, or 1 ¾ pounds (794 grams) frozen sliced peaches, thawed
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces/50 grams) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 ounces (283 grams/2 cups) raspberries
TOPPING
½ cup (2 ½ ounces/71 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) brown sugar
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
½ cup (1 ½ ounces/43 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup pecans, chopped
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
FILLING
2 tablespoons instant tapioca
2 ½ pounds (1134 grams) fresh peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch wedges, or 1 ¾ pounds (794 grams) frozen sliced peaches, thawed
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces/50 grams) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 ounces (283 grams/2 cups) raspberries
TOPPING
½ cup (2 ½ ounces/71 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) brown sugar
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
½ cup (1 ½ ounces/43 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup pecans, chopped
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
FILLING
2 tablespoons instant tapioca
2 ½ pounds (1134 grams) fresh peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch wedges, or 1 ¾ pounds (794 grams) frozen sliced peaches, thawed
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces/50 grams) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 ounces (283 grams/2 cups) raspberries
TOPPING
½ cup (2 ½ ounces/71 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) brown sugar
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
½ cup (1 ½ ounces/43 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup pecans, chopped
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
As an homage to the classic dessert known as Peach Melba, we combine peaches and raspberries in a warm summer crisp. Fruit juiciness varies based on ripeness, so to even the playing field, we macerate and drain the peaches before assembling the crisp, avoiding runny filling and soggy topping. We add back a measured amount of the peach juice, thickened with ground tapioca, to create a gooey, flavorful filling. Layering the raspberries on top of the peaches instead of folding them in prevents them from turning to mush. Finally, using oats, flour, and nuts in our topping makes it crisp and buttery.
Before You Begin
Do not use quick or instant oats in this recipe. Measure the tapioca, which may be sold as “Minute Tapioca,” before grinding it.
Instructions
- Grind tapioca in spice grinder to fine powder, about 30 seconds. Gently toss peaches with sugar and salt in bowl and let sit, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Drain peaches through colander set inside bowl; reserve peach juice. Return drained peaches to original bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons reserved peach juice, ground tapioca, lemon juice, and vanilla. Transfer to 8-inch square baking dish and press gently into even layer. Top peaches with raspberries.
- While peaches are macerating, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in food processor and process until combined, about 15 seconds. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles wet sand, about 8 pulses. Add oats and pecans and pulse until mixture forms marble-size clumps and no loose flour remains, about 15 pulses. Chill mixture for at least 15 minutes. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Distribute topping evenly over fruit. Bake until topping is well browned and fruit is bubbling around edges, about 30 minutes, rotating dish halfway through baking. Cool on wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Serve.
for the filling
for the topping
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