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Ripe Peaches Star In Simple Dessert

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By JILL WENDHOLT SILVA McClatchy Newspapers

Published: October 3, 2007

Who needs a cookie when you can choose a crumble?

Similar to a cobbler or a crunch, a crumble is a terrific, old-fashioned summer dessert that relies on ripe, seasonal fruit for most of its flavor. This Peach Raspberry Crumble reduces the sugar and fat while upping the fiber content.

Peaches are naturally low in calories; a 1-cup serving is just 60 calories. They also contain vitamin C and beta carotene, an antioxidant that may protect against some cancers.

The smattering of raspberries adds a bit of color and tartness to the peaches. Raspberries are high in vitamin C, the antioxidant ellagic acid and fiber. A 1-cup serving contains just 50 calories.

Fruit naturally contains a high amount of fiber, but a crumble topping adds a sprinkling of whole grains. This recipe also cuts down on the butter found in comparable ones by several tablespoons.

Ultimately the real selling point with this recipe is convenience: You can get the taste of a pie without the muss and fuss of a homemade crust.

Shopping tip: How can you tell if a peach is ripe? Be sure the background color is golden, never green. Don't be fooled by a red blush on a peach.

'One thing consumers like is red - lots of red,' writes Russ Parsons, author of the recently released 'How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor From Farm to Table' (Houghton Mifflin, $27).

'Peaches and nectarines used to be prized for a golden skin tone; now people are buying red, equating it with ripeness. (In fact, the high-red blush on many new varieties of stone fruit actually makes it harder to tell when the fruit is ready. The red comes on early, obscuring the background color; which is what really predicts quality.)'

Cooking tip: To quickly and easily peel peaches, dip in boiling water 30 seconds, then plunge into ice water.

Serving tip: Resist the temptation to add more flour; a finished crumble should be nice and juicy. Crumbles are best served warm.

PEACH RASPBERRY CRUMBLE
5 cups peeled, pitted and thickly sliced ripe peaches
1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, divided

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided

2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup butter, cold and cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch-square baking dish with nonstick spray coating. Place peaches, raspberries, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in mixing bowl. Allow to stand 5 minutes, and gently stir. Spoon into baking dish.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour and oats. Stir to blend. Using fingers or two knives, cut butter into mixture until butter pieces are pea-sized.

Sprinkle over peaches. Bake 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 6 servings.

280 calories (26 percent from fat), 8 grams total fat (5 grams saturated), 21 milligrams cholesterol, 51 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 83 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber

Recipe developed by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss

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