A Week of Whole Grain Baking, Day 3: Gingered Apple Pear Crisp

I threw this crisp together a couple of nights ago after seeing the sad and neglected leftover apples and pears sitting in the dining room. I know I promised I wouldnt get myself into trouble taking more fruit than I could handle, but this time I took just enough to put to good use. Luckily, the perfect recipe was right in front of my nose (in the Whole Grain Companion, of course!) and I even finished up the crystallized ginger that a friend had given to me (thanks, S!). Points for me! After all these carbo-loading desserts, it was a nice change of pace to be making a fruit dessert- I remember how much I love making them and how much more virtuous I feel. Anyway, the original recipe called for just pears, but I used pears and apples as per what I had. The fruit filling simply has a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice and some chopped ginger. That's it! On to the topping. It calls for some spelt flour (finished the bag!!), whole wheat flour and gingerbread crumbs. (Truth be told, I used the rest of the spelt flour I had and made up the difference with whole wheat-- turned out great!) I didnt have any gingerbread crumbs, so I swapped in some oat flour instead, in an effort to mimic the texture. In addition, I upped the cinnamon and ginger. I admit this didnt make a tremendous size crumble, but nonetheless, it was gone in record time. I think they were nervous before flying to Poland. ;) This is definitely a keeper [base] recipe for fall, or whatever season has apples and pears in your country.

Gingered Apple Pear Crisp
adapted from Whole Grain Baking

Filling:
6-7 cups peeled cored and sliced apples and pears
2 tbsp chopped crystallized ginger
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

Topping:
1/3 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup chilled margarine or butter

Preheat your oven to 350. Grease a 9 inch pie dish.

Place the fruit in the bowl and add the ginger to it.

Sprinkle on the cornstarch and sugar, and mix thoroughly.

Pour the fruit into the dish and even out. Sprinkle with the lemon juice.

To make the topping, add all of the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk to blend.

Add the margarine,

and cut in until some large and small pieces remain.

Sprinkle evenly over the fruit.

Bake until golden brown and bubbly all over, about 35 minutes. Ice cream? Not necessary at all!