Photo credit: Chanie Apfelbaum

I love a good apple crisp, but it’s my pet peeve when people serve it as a side dish; to my mind, it’s dessert! I always love to put a seasonal spin on it, so in the winter, I’ll mix in some pears and cranberries, and in the summer, I’ll add peaches or berries.

This combination was inspired by one of my favorite summer drinks, strawberry limonana. The addition of strawberries, mint, and lemon makes this crisp especially fresh and bright for the summer season.

SERVES 8

Filling

• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 lb (450 g) hulled strawberries, quartered
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

Topping

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup neutral-flavored oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp lemon zest
• pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Place all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix to incorporate. Spread the mixture into an 8x10½-inch (20x27-cm) baking dish.

In a separate bowl, mix the topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture over the fruit and bake for 45 minutes or until the fruit is soft and the topping is starting to brown.

Allow the fruit crisp to cool slightly before serving, so the juices can set.

Serve warm with ice cream.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 747)