Rustic Peach Crisp Recipe

Late summer desserts featuring the best summer stone fruits are easy to pull together and so deeply satisfying. I have enjoyed every cobbler, pie, and crisp I have eaten this season without regret. Especially when they were topped with a nice little scoop of cold vanilla ice cream or cream, which works best with warm desserts. However, I've become more mindful of how to simplify desserts in a way that encourages smaller portions and doesn't drown the fruit in too much sugar. One way to prepare desserts that is consistent with this approach is to bake them with minimal preparation and ingredients.

Today I'm sharing with you my simplified version of peach crisp topped with a small scoop of plain Greek yogurt instead of the more traditional vanilla ice cream. By baking the crisp topping directly over the peach halves, I allow the peach to be the highlight of the dessert and to remain intact without turning into mush. The only added sugar is in the topping. I like the tartness, thickness, and creaminess in plain Greek yogurt that offsets the sweetness in the dessert, but feel free to use vanilla yogurt or ice cream instead. The dessert topping can easily be prepared in advance and added to the peach right before baking. 

It really helps to use ripe, in-season peaches. The more ripe a piece of fruit is the more natural sugar it contains, which reduces the need to add more sugar to offset any bitterness some fruit carry when picked too early. If you get a chance this week I invite you to try this dessert.  It will satisfy your taste buds and help you enjoy these last few weeks of summer while we have them.