Crumble di Pesche (Peach Crumble)

Keep summertime flavors alive in your desserts: Peach crumble is a delicious spoon dessert composed of a crunchy topping that hides a heart of soft and juicy peaches.

The crumble is an English dessert, in fact “crumble” is also a verb meaning to reduce to small pieces (crumbs), and is made of fruit covered by a “crumbly” layer of sweet dough.

The peach crumble is really simple and quick to prepare: in this recipe the peaches are flavored with Cocoon beer, which gives a very distinct flavor. Definitely worth a try. You can substitute beer with a fruity white wine as well.
This delicious dessert is excellent when accompanied by vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt, for a lighter version.

Peaches are a typical summer fruit in Italy, juicy and rich in water, and therefore perfect for summertime lifestyle! Peaches are highly satiating and have a low GI (Glycemic Index), keeping hunger at bay for longer periods, so they are a good choice to incorporate into a weight loss diet. They’re packed with antioxidants— beneficial compounds that combat oxidative damage and help protect your body against aging and disease. The fresher and riper the fruit, the more antioxidants it contains.

CRUMBLE di PESCHE (PEACH CRUMBLE)

Total preparation time: 1 hour        Baking time: 20 + 10 minutes           Servings: 4-5

INGREDIENTS

4 peaches (or nectarines, if you prefer), washed, pelled and cut into pieces
250 ml (1 cup) Cocoon beer
140 g (1 cup) type 1 flour
140 g (1 ¼ cups) whole grain oatmeal
140 g (2/3 cup) brown sugar
100 g (3.5 oz) cold butter cut into cubes
40 g (1.5 oz) shelled almonds, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and place the baking rack in the center position
2. Place the peaches in a bowl, add the beer and let rest for about 20 minutes
3. Prepare the crumble. In a bowl, pour the flour, oatmeal and sugar. Stir with a spoon, add the butter and work with a fork until you get a sandy mixture. Add the almonds and mix
4. Cover the base of 4 ceramic dishes (16x10cm; 6.5×4 inch) with less than half of the crumble and press down. Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool
5. Divide the peaches into the 4 dishes and cover with the remaining crumble.
6. Cook for about 20-25 min until golden brown. Serve lukewarm. It is excellent with vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt for a lighter version.

Note: If you use nectarines it is not necessary to peel them. – Paola