Boozy stone fruit crisp

Fruit cobblers and crisps are my go-to dessert in the summer. They're quick and easy with fresh, local fruit taking center stage. My mom would always make peach cobbler from the peaches we'd buy from roadside stands on our way home from the beach as kids.

Last weekend a good friend had a surprise birthday party for her husband. She put me in charge of desserts, so I made this blueberry-peach cobbler and this cherry crisp. They were both a success, but the cherry lambic crisp was my favorite. I soaked the cherries in Cerise—a cherry fermented ale—instead of the lambic. The topping was perfect with its notes of cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon and orange.

Yesterday I realized my cherries, apricots, and peaches were in dire need of being eaten or made into something, so I decided to make a stone fruit crisp for a light dessert for two. I soaked the fruit with two tablespoons of bourbon. If you don't want it boozy (or aren't a bourbon fan), reduce to one tablespoon or omit altogether. I thought the bourbon worked perfectly with the maple syrup and spices.

I substituted coconut oil for the butter and maple syrup for the sugar to keep it wholesome and vegan-friendly. Feel free to use gluten free oats to make it a completely gluten free dessert. Yes, you must turn your oven on to make this dessert, but I think it's worth it. But if you're looking for a dessert that doesn't require baking, try Jacqui's raw tart instead. I won't hold it against you.

Boozy stone fruit crisp Serves two
Inspired by this recipe
2 cups stone fruit (peaches, cherries, apricots)
1-2 tbsp bourbon (like Bulleit)
1/4 c almonds, chopped
1/3 c oats
1 tbsp maple syrup
1.5 tbsp melted coconut oil
pinch of sea salt
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of cardamom

Preheat oven to 375. Slice the peaches and apricots, leaving their skin intact. Pit cherries and slice in half. Mix fruit in a bowl with bourbon. Stir and let sit for up to 30 minutes.

Mix almonds and oats in another bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Lightly oil two ramekins (our ramekins' have a diameter of about 3 inches, so they're fairly large). Fill with fruit and pour in the bourbon that collected at the bottom of the bowl. Scatter almond-oat mixture over the top.

Bake up to 30 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream and eat immediately. If you have leftovers, eat for breakfast the next morning with your cold brew coffee.

A simple summer treat

This weekend was low-key. We ate a tasty breakfast here, saw this exhibit, biked to the market, hit the pool with friends, and spent a lot of time reading. I called my dad on Father's Day, but we won't celebrate until I go to my parents' house later this week.

When I saw this week's Food Matters Project recipe, I was excited. All I could think about was how perfect the flavors of sweet, juicy cherries are with rich, bitter dark chocolate. I first thought I would make scones—and I did end up making blueberry ones—but I decided to share a simple summer treat instead. See the original recipe hosted by Margarita and see what others made here.

All you need is fresh, ripe cherries and your favorite dark chocolate bar. That's it. Seriously. There's no oven or appliance needed for this dessert. There's no gluten or dairy involved (if you get dark chocolate, it shouldn't contain milk). Just break this out after dinner (or anytime really), and let the cherries and chocolate do their thing. Sometimes the simplest things are the best.

Oh, and I wanted to share what I've been spending a lot of time on the past month. The second magazine I designed for Society Social is now online! Part two will be coming soon...