From Our Kitchens: Peach crumble with fresh fruit from Dickey Farms

Dickey Farms was not quite what I expected. I envisioned rows of peach trees and strawberry shrubs with tractors and tents, much like a pick-your-own-fruit place. 

Instead, as I pulled off the road into the parking lot, I saw an elevated, white, open-patio emporium with boxes of peaches just outside the steps.

There weren’t huge troughs of produce or giant bushels of peaches but instead a cute, curated selection of berries, artisan foods and merchandise. 

I bought half a peck — whatever that means — of the July Prince, noted for its juiciness and tanginess. I also scarfed down an apple donut before I even got to the car.

I chomped open a prime Georgia peach as soon as I got home. Actually, I just ripped right into the flesh after a quick wash.

It was delicious and super juicy. Such a tasty ripe fruit deserved to be done right by baking it into something special.

I don’t consider myself a baker, however, I took a go at making this peach crumble because it seemed like it would be simple and not require any exotic components, intricate techniques or arduous cleanup.

This recipe is inspired by Claire Saffitz’s, a former BonAppetit personality, recipe for a peach slab pie, which I probably would’ve made had I the skills to actually make pie crust. I also swapped butter for coconut oil, but this probably wasn’t any healthier than a version with butter.

I know this because I ate an entire brownie pan’s worth in one evening, as the gooey sweet confection ended up being my dinner along with one big round of hashbrowns. 

I cannot recommend doing this because as I got down to the last of the crumble I found myself unable to get up from the couch, anchored by my gluttony.

Peach crumble (Serves one)

Ingredients

Crumble topping:

• ½ cup of oats
• ½ cup of flour
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ cup of coconut oil

Peach filling:

• 3 peaches, diced into chunks
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• Cinnamon to taste
• Nutmeg, optional
• ½  teaspoon of cornstarch

Directions

Mix the filling ingredients in a bowl, set aside for an hour.Mix the crumble ingredients together until you don’t see any loose flour. Chill for a few minutes to allow chunks to solidify. Drain excess liquid from peach liquid into a sauce pan. Mix cornstarch with a little bit of water to make a slurry. Reduce peach liquid and add slurry. Allow mixture to come to a boil for a few seconds, or until sticky and glossy. Add peach reduction to peaches, put peaches into 8”x8” baking tray or oven-safe pan. Make a layer of peaches then add crumble on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until the topping is crispy.