Call it a crisp or a crumble, but these fruit desserts baked with a crisp topping are perfect for healthy eating, with a few strategic substitutions.
I made one with pears recently because I was attracted to the baby pears that were out in the market, though in the end the thrifty side of me prevailed.
How could I pay the same price for a fruit that was half the usual size? So I picked the large ones.
Still, large or small, a pear is a thing of beauty. Its shape calls to mind the most womanly of figures, appealing and winsome, even if those blessed with a pear figure would hardly think so!
More than eye appeal, a bowl of pears left out in the kitchen will scent the entire room as they ripen.
Nowadays with the varieties that flood the market, one cannot help but be enticed. If you have not noticed, there are green, brown and red pears, aside from the baby ones, which appear to be Packhams.
These are green pears, native to Australia, and if you look carefully they are less symmetrical in shape with a larger squat base. Its flesh is sweet and its texture firm. It also keeps well. Unlike most fruit, pears improve in flavour and taste after being picked.
Keep yours out in the open till they ripen. They will then give off a wonderful fragrance and have a slight give when pressed. Store them after that in the refrigerator.
I picked Packhams for baking simply because they are easily available and hold their shape well after cooking.
While we know that most fruit is healthy, pears specifically provide fibre, vitamin C, natural sugar for energy and potassium for less than 100 calories for a medium-sized pear.
As for the topping, while you could use flour or breadcrumbs (a useful way to use up stale bread), I used oats for more fibre and also to make this dessert wheat-free.
I also substituted the butter or margarine used in most recipes with olive oil, upping the health quotient tremendously. The rest of the ingredients were tossed in simply because I like the crunch of nuts and the burst of flavour from the cranberries and the orange peel.
You could also add spices, other nuts and various dried fruit to the basic crumble mix of oats, oil and sugar, giving more interest to this old classic.
They all add flavour and hardly any sin to this truly healthful dessert.
