Ina Garten Peach And Raspberry Crisp

Ina Garten peach and raspberry crisp bakes ripe peach wedges and fresh raspberries under a buttery oat crumble with orange zest and brown sugar. Everything comes together in about 1 hour 30 minutes from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, so you get a warm dessert for 10 at around 540 calories per serving.

The recipe skips the usual approach of just tossing fruit with sugar and goes a step further by blanching the peaches first. Ina has you dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then straight into cold water, which makes the skins slide right off before slicing.

Everything hinges on the topping texture, which depends on keeping the butter cold and diced. Warm butter melts into the flour and oats too early, so the crumble bakes flat instead of staying chunky and crisp on top.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999), verified from foodnetwork.com

FAQs

Do I have to blanch the peaches or can I leave the skins on?

You can skip blanching and leave the skins on, though the texture changes since peach skins toughen and curl during a full hour of baking. Blanching for just 30 seconds loosens the skins completely, so they peel off with your fingers in seconds.

And if your peaches are very ripe, the skins may already slip off without boiling water. But firmer peaches need the full blanch, because the skin grips the flesh too tightly to peel cleanly by hand.

Why does the recipe use two kinds of sugar in both the filling and the topping?

Granulated sugar dissolves into the fruit juices and adds clean sweetness, while brown sugar brings moisture and a deeper caramel note from the molasses it contains. Together they create a layered flavor that one sugar alone cannot match, and the brown sugar also helps the crumble topping brown more evenly in the oven.

The filling uses less sugar than the topping on purpose, since the ripe peaches already carry natural sweetness. So the heavier sugar load sits in the crumble where it caramelizes against the butter and oats, which gives the top that crunchy golden crust.

Can I use frozen peaches instead of fresh?

Frozen peaches work in a pinch, though you should thaw and drain them first because the extra water makes the filling soupy. Use the full 3 tablespoons of flour instead of starting with 2, which absorbs the additional liquid during baking.

But frozen peaches tend to be softer than fresh, so cut your bake time back by about 10 minutes and watch for the bubbling edges. And skip the blanching step entirely with frozen fruit, since the skins are already removed before packaging.

What can I serve alongside this crisp?

A scoop of vanilla ice cream is the classic pairing, and the cold cream against the hot fruit creates a contrast that makes both taste better. Whipped cream works too, though crème fraîche adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness of the brown sugar topping.

For a lighter option, a spoonful of Greek yogurt in the morning turns leftover crisp into breakfast, since the oat topping already reads like granola. And if you want to serve this as part of a bigger dessert spread, Ina’s raspberry cheesecake uses the same fruit in a completely different format.

How should I store and reheat leftovers?

The crisp keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, though the topping loses its crunch once refrigerated since the fruit juices soften it from below. So always reheat uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, because the dry oven heat crisps the topping back up.

And covering the dish with foil during reheating traps steam, which makes the problem worse instead of fixing it. Let it sit for 5 minutes after reheating before serving, since the bubbling juices need a moment to settle and thicken slightly.