Strawberry Rhubarb Apple Crisp with Tea and Poppy Seeds

If you want it to feel like summer fast, make a crisp. Mix some fruit with sugar, top with a buttery oat topping, and bake. Sure, you could make a pie…but then you’d have to make the dough, chill it, roll it, probably par-bake it before adding the filling and that’s just a lot of work when times are desperate. When you need it to feel like summer now because the skies are overcast and it’s a measly 55 degrees outside, a crisp is the way to go.

This one is a sunny combination of strawberries, rhubarb and apple, topped with an eye-opening blend of oats, poppy seeds and Early Grey tea leaves. This is also a crisp full of trickery. It’s for those people who, when offered a serving of freshly-baked crisp, say “Oh, no thanks, I don’t like such and such.” Such as rhubarb or cooked strawberries or tea. First of all, those people are ridiculous. Lucky for you, this crisp offers plenty of distractions. The combination of fruits results in a pleasing combination of textures, the apples distracting from any stringiness of rhubarb or any mushiness of strawberries. As for the tea…what tea? No, no, those are just poppy seeds. Relax.

Besides, there is plenty of butter in this crisp, and that’s nearly impossible to resist.

Now remember, this is meant to be easy, so don’t fret. No strawberries? Try raspberries. Use whatever apple you have in the fridge– no one says you always have to bake with Granny Smith. Frozen fruit or fresh. Use what you’ve got. Cut open that bag of English Breakfast or even Chai Spice. All will be delicious.

Strawberry Rhubarb Apple Crisp with Tea and Poppy Seeds

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
• 1 cup rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of cinnamon

Topping:

• 3/4 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 Tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Find an 8×8-inch baking pan or similar size dish and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the fruit and remaining filling ingredients. Toss gently with a large spoon until the fruit is fully coated in the sugar. Pour into the baking dish and set aside.
3. Combine the topping ingredients in a food processor (or a mixing bowl). Pulse until the butter is distributed and the ingredients resemble coarse meal (or rub the butter in with your fingertips). If you like a coarser texture to your crisp topping, omit the oats from the food processor and mix in by hand at the end.
4. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit in the baking dish to cover evenly. Bake until the topping is golden, the juices are bubbly and thick, and the fruit is softened, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before spooning a helping onto your plate. Eat on its own or top with freshly whipped cream. Instant summer. Enjoy!