Strawberry Almond Crisp
We’re in the middle of summer now, which avails us to a rich selection of seriously vibrant fruits. And among the greatest of these is the iconic strawberry—its color hypersaturated but nonetheless beautiful, its texture soft and juicy but not without form, its flavor impressively deep but never overwhelming. The strawberry is consistently satisfying, and in summer it’s at its peak.
While there are of course many great ways to employ strawberries this time of year, a crisp such as this makes especially excellent use of them. Crisps are relatively straightforward, which gives the strawberries an opportunity to shine without getting lost in a mix of other ingredients–however well they all might complement one another. Saturating them in sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch helps to thicken their juices and accentuate their flavor. Next is the topping.
The topping component to the crisp is crucial—it gives everything a wonderfully crunchy texture in contrast to the juicy, softened strawberries. Oats and almonds lend a particularly pleasant combination of flavors, enhanced by La Tourangelle’s exquisite Almond Oil. Rich, roasted nuttiness coats the crumbly topping, mixing in nicely the fragrant cardamom. With this atop a bed of scrumptious strawberries, it’s hard to wrong. Add a scoop of ice cream or two and you’re absolutely finished. Take some time to enjoy the jewel of summer in its brightest light.
Almond Crisp Topping
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbs granulated sugar
2 tbs brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
¼ + ⅛ tsp table salt
4 tbs almond oil
Strawberry Filling
2 ½ lbs strawberries, hulled and quartered
3 ½ tsp cornstarch
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or extract
4 scoops vanilla ice cream, optional
Equipment: 1 medium bowl, 1 large bowl, 10-inch ceramic baking dish, baking sheet
Method
Heat oven to 350 Fº.
In a medium bowl mix together the oats, almonds, flour, both sugars, cardamom, and salt until combined. Add the almond oil and mix together until incorporated into the dry ingredients and the mixture takes on a clumpy appearance. Place the streusel in the fridge until ready to use.
In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the strawberry slices to the bowl along with the vanilla bean paste or extract, and fold until the strawberries are evenly coated.
Pour the strawberries into a large ceramic dish and top with the streusel topping. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the topping has browned, and the juices are bubbling over, about 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for about 10-15 minutes before serving with ice cream.
Enjoy!