A “crisp” is a simple baked fruit dessert covered with a slightly crunchy topping. They are super easy to make, light & absolutely deliciously. Just perfect for entertaining, my Blackberry Cardamom Crisp (served simply with a dollop of whipped cream, gelato or ice cream) is the ideal way to end any meal.

Now the secret to this recipe lies in the blackberry filling, the addition of warm aromatic cardamom powder along with a subtle hint of freshly grated ginger makes this dish just simply irresistible!

You could basically use any fruit or a combination of various fruits – I highly recommend using whatever fresh seasonal fruit is available in your area.


BLACKBERRY CARDAMOM CRISP

Ingredients: 


4 to 4½ cups of fresh blackberries 

4 tbsp sugar, to taste
1 tsp cornstarch
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
½ tsp freshly grated ginger, optional
½ tsp ground cardamom powder
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For the Topping
½ cup all purpose flour (maida)
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup quick cooking oats
¼ cup toasted unsalted pecans, finely chopped
3 tbsp lightly toasted, unsweetened coconut flakes
¼ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

a few mint leaves for garnish

METHOD:

First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a medium size baking dish or 5-6 individual ramekins (depending on the size of the blackberries). Next, add the blackberries and set aside until needed.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar along with the cornstarch, 1-2 tbsp water and the lemon juice. Mix until just smooth, adding only a little more water if needed. Do not add too much water. Pour this mixture over the blackberries. Now stir in the lemon zest, grated ginger, cardamom powder and freshly grated nutmeg. Mix gently to combine all of the ingredients.
Now in a medium size mixing bowl, combine the all purpose flour with the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, oats, pecan pieces and coconut flakes. Then add the butter cubes and mix well until coarse and crumbly. Sprinkle the topping mixture liberally over blackberries and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes and serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream. Garnish with a few mint leaves and enjoy!

VARIATIONS:

The combinations and possibilities are endless here! Try making this dish with raspberries, cherries, blueberries, peaches, pears, apples….

Do peel the fruit if needed (such as the apples or pears). The berries tend to cook quickly but if you are using apples or pears, the baking time may be 45-50 minutes.



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