Cardamom and Ginger Peach Crisp

Ginger’s heat accentuates peach’s sweetness, especially when combined with heady cardamom and cloves. You can make this with nectarines as well. I like the fruit’s skin in the filling, but peel it off if you prefer.

Author

Lior Lev Sercarz "Mastering Spice"

Servings

8

Category

Sweet

Ingredients

• 11⁄2 teaspoons green cardamom pods (3 grams)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon whole cloves (1 gram)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (2 grams)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (1 gram)
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated mace or nutmeg (1 gram)
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, diced (56 grams)
• 1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar (64 grams)
• 1⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar (50 grams)
• 1⁄4 cup slivered almonds (29 grams)
• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour (67 grams)
• 3 tablespoons dark rum
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar (26 grams)
• 1½ pounds diced peaches (5¼  cups; 696 grams)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
3. Squeeze and mix with your fingers until well blended and only a few streaks of confectioners’ sugar remain.
4. Add the almonds and half the spice blend. Mix and squeeze with your hands until evenly incorporated.
5. Add the flour and keep squeezing and pinching until the flour is incorporated and the mixture forms almond-size chunks with coarse crumbs.
6. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan, scraping every last bit from your hands.
7. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Place the rum and brown sugar in a deep 9-inch skillet set over medium heat.
9. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.
10. Add the peaches and remaining spice blend. Cook, stirring gently once or twice, until the fruit is soft, about 3 minutes.
11. Stir the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Drizzle over the fruit while stirring. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is jammy, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
12. You can keep the fruit in the pan if you’d like to serve from it, or transfer to a 9-inch baking dish or individual bowls.
13. Evenly scatter the crisp mixture on top right before serving the crisp hot.