Strawberry Apricot Crumble

This dessert doesn't look particularly special, so let me tell you why it is. One, it's full of apricots. Those furry round fruits that show up in the markets for only a few months each year. They make an early summer debut and then poof! they're gone again. I've always loved them. But never baked with them, until now. The second reason this crumble is so wonderful is this: it's got apricots and strawberries! The combination just seemed right. And it worked beautifully- just look at those colors. The bright red berries in contrast to the pale orange apricot juices. I could have sat and stared at it all afternoon. But I did take a bite (and a few more). And that brings us to number three. How it tastes. Amazing. It far exceeded my expectations. It's both tangy and sweet, soft and saucy. And the topping is crazy good. It's a cakey, slightly crisp, yet crumbly mixture that still allows the flavors of the fruits to shine through. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. You'll see what I mean.

NOTE: This crumble could be adapted to utilize other combinations of fruits such as rhubarb, cherries, peaches, etc.

INGREDIENTS

Crumble Topping:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. white sugar
3 Tbsp. turbinado sugar (or substitute brown sugar)
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
pinch of salt

Fruit Filling:
1 lb. fresh strawberries, stemmed and quartered
2 cups fresh apricots, cut into chunks
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup white sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. To make the crumb topping, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, sugars, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the melted better and mix until small and large clumps form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3. To make the filling, in a separate large bowl toss the strawberries and apricots with the lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Pour into a 9-inch square or deep round baking dish. Cover with the crumbled topping.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Sassy Radish)