Pluot and Nectarine Crunch

There is just a little over two weeks to go before Rosh Hashanah or the Jewish New Year.  The skies have turned deeper azure and the days a bit shorter as I can feel the clock moving towards fall.  The daytime temperature is still quite warm, but I noticed a few new crop apples and some pomegranates at some stalls in Wednesday’s farmers market.  This recipe takes advantage of the last of the summer bounty, it is parave or dairy-free, healthy, a wonderful dessert to serve at one of summer’s last barbecues or dessert for New Year’s eve welcome party on September 16^th.

Serves 8 to 10

Filling:

2 pounds net (without pits) of sliced nectarines and pluots (slice about 1/ 4 to 1/3 inch thick, no need to peel)

1/ 2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Zest of one Minneola Tangelo (oranges are ok)

1/ 2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 heaping tablespoons corn starch

1 tablespoon Minneola juice (orange juice is ok)

Topping:

1 cup old fashion oats

1/ 2 cup flour

1 cup coarsely chopped hazel nuts and slivered almonds mixed

1/ 2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoon orange marmalade 

1/ 2 cup coconut oil (coconut oil is a white mostly solid fat at room temperature)

1/ 2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Minneola juice (orange juice is ok)

1 tablespoon Minneola zest (orange zest is ok)

Place sliced fruit in a large bowl and add other filling ingredients.  Toss to combine.  Place filling for crunch in a 9 X 13 rectangular baking dish of ceramic or glass and set aside.  Heat oven to 350° F.

Place all topping ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with your fingertips.  Topping should be sticky and clumpy.  Drop topping in clumps over top of filled baking dish, evenly distributing as you go.  Place baking dish on a sheet pan to catch any drips and then, place in oven on middle rack and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until topping looks brown and crunchy and fruit filling is bubbling up around topping.

This wonderful dessert is fabulous served warm, warm with dairy-free ice cream or room temperature the next day for lunch.  Since Rosh Hashanah is early this year I plan to have this dish on my dessert buffet along with apple cake, honey cake, and baklava and lots of other wonderful sweets…