If there is a better way to make a peach crumble, I’m all for it. It’s early August, the height of the peach season. I welcome an improvement to the traditional crumble with a peach and sesame crumble. What’s making this a better version, you may ask? The simple answer is the crispy and crunchy texture.
The sesame seeds provide a delicate crispiness that’s unsurpassed by just the usual flour, sugar and butter combo. In addition, the trio of sesame tahini, toasted sesame oil and and toasted sesame seeds impart a nutty balances to the sweetness of the late-summer peaches. To me, the twist of a flavorful sesame is the biggest draw to a quick summer dessert.
I have a collection of summer stone fruits that are languishing in the fridge: plums, plumcots or apriums of sorts. This is a good recipe to turn them into a sweet delight after dinner — and the day after. Imagine, topping the crumble with vanilla ice cream or spooning the leftovers over yogurt the next morning. In some ways, the desire for an everlasting summer surfaces, even though it’s year 2020.
This recipe is hard to miss since it shows up on the cover of the August issue of Bon Appétit. There is one change I’ve made to the recipe: I skip the cornstarch in the filling. You may see a lot of liquid when the crumble is warm, but they disappear after it’s thoroughly cooled. I like more juicy liquid on the next day for the yogurt, but there is hardly any left!
Peach & Sesame Crumble
Ingredients
- 2½ lb. peaches (6–7)
- 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup plus 1¼ cups (320g) sugar
- 1¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
- ⅓ cup raw white sesame seeds
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (100g) tahini
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp. (or more) cornstarch (optional)
- Vanilla ice cream (for serving; optional)
Instructions
Place a rack in top third of oven; preheat to 375°. Now prep your peaches. These should be some of the sweetest, most fragrant peaches you can find. Better peaches make for a better peach crumble. (If you've got peaches that aren't ready, place them in a brown paper bag with a banana, then check back every day. The banana will speed up the ripening process.) Slice 2½ lb. peaches (6–7) in half with a chef’s knife. Using a paring knife, cut around pits; pry them out if necessary ("clingstone" peaches have pits that cling to the flesh, whereas "freestone" peaches' pits can be easily pried out). Cut each peach half in half (so you have peach quarters), then cut each quarter into half twice more (you want 4 thin slices from each quarter, or 16 thin slices from each peach). As you go, transfer peach slices to a 13x9" baking dish.
Zest 1 lemon into a medium bowl; set aside.
Sprinkle ⅓ cup sugar, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from the zested lemon), and ¾ tsp. salt over peaches. Toss to gently combine, then let sit while you prep the topping—aim for about 20 minutes. The maceration draws the sugar out of the fruit, making the peaches taste even peachy-er.
Spread ⅓ cup raw white sesame seeds on a rimmed baking sheet or in an ovenproof skillet. Toast, tossing halfway through, until golden brown all over, 12–15 minutes. Toasting the sesame seeds yourself makes for a deep, nutty richness that store-bought toasted sesame seeds cannot match. Immediately transfer to a large bowl (so they don’t keep cooking on hot baking sheet).
Add 1 cup all-purpose flour and remaining 1¼ cups sugar and 1 tsp. salt to bowl with seeds. Whisk to combine.
Add ½ cup (1 stick) butter and ½ tsp. ground cinnamon to medium bowl with lemon zest. Microwave until butter is melted, about 1 minute. Add ⅓ cup tahini and 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil and whisk to combine.
Pour tahini-butter mixture into dry ingredients, then mix until dry ingredients are incorporated and mixture holds together when you squeeze it in your hands.
Assemble! The peaches should look juicy. And now you determine whether you’re using 1 tsp. (or more) cornstarch. If peaches are not-so-ripe, skip it entirely. If they’re perfectly ripe, use 1 tsp. And if they’re really juicy, use 2 tsp. Gently toss to combine.
Using your hands, squeeze crumble topping into big hunks, then break off uneven pieces and scatter over peaches.
Bake crumble until topping is well browned and firm and peaches are tender with bubbling juices, 60–70 minutes.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream (if using).
Notes
An instructional video is here. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/peach-and-sesame-crumble
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