Cherry-Almond Crisp for Two
By Christie MorrisonPublished on June 27, 2016
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 2
Ingredients
Topping
⅓ cup (1 ⅔ ounces/47 grams) all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch ground cinnamon Pinch salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted¼ cup sliced almondsFilling
1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar ½ teaspoon cornstarch 10 ounces (283 grams) frozen sweet cherries ¼ cup water 2 teaspoons lemon juice ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon almond extract ⅛ teaspoon salt ¼ cup dried cherriesBefore You Begin
There’s no need to thaw the cherries. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Instructions
- Combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in bowl. Stir in melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand and no dry flour remains.
- Toast almonds in 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes; transfer to plate to cool. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and cornstarch in small bowl; set aside. Combine sweet cherries, water, lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in now-empty skillet. Cook, covered, over medium heat until cherries thaw and release their juice and mixture starts to simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Stir in dried cherries and simmer, uncovered, until plumped and tender, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Return skillet to medium-low heat and cook until filling is bubbling around edges, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm.
for the topping
for the filling
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 2Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
The best cherry crisps juxtapose the juiciness of tender cherries with a crisp, nutty brown-sugar crust. Unfortunately, many versions yield gloppy, too-sweet fillings and toppings that resemble packaged granola. And recipes made with fresh cherries—while superior in flavor—take twice as long to prep. To make a superior cherry crisp for two, we used dependable pantry (and freezer) staples and streamlined the process. After browning a topping of almonds, sugar, flour, and butter in a skillet on the stovetop, we used the same pan to cook the filling. To make our crisp an easy year-round option, we used a combination of frozen sweet cherries and dried cherries—they’re always in season and don’t require pitting. Sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla and almond extracts rounded out the flavors in the filling, and cornstarch thickened it to a syrupy—not gloppy—consistency.
Before You Begin
There’s no need to thaw the cherries. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Instructions
- Combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in bowl. Stir in melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand and no dry flour remains.
- Toast almonds in 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes; transfer to plate to cool. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and cornstarch in small bowl; set aside. Combine sweet cherries, water, lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in now-empty skillet. Cook, covered, over medium heat until cherries thaw and release their juice and mixture starts to simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Stir in dried cherries and simmer, uncovered, until plumped and tender, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Return skillet to medium-low heat and cook until filling is bubbling around edges, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm.
for the topping
for the filling
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