Plum Berry Crisp

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When nature gives us fruit, is there any need for candy? This quick and easy Plum Berry Crisp dessert will give you the answer. It features plums, blueberries and blackberries baked to syrupy perfection and a crunchy cinnamon oat topping. Not sure it gets much better than this!

this RECIPE

CAN I EAT PLUM BERRY CRISP IF I AM TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT?

I’d go as far as saying it’s compulsory! If you sit there and tell me that to lose weight I will never again be able to have any treats or desserts, then I will go ahead and tell you, that SUCKS! No way am I giving up desserts, and honestly, I really don’t think it’s necessary.

Restriction can often lead to intense, uncontrollable cravings in my experience. So, the way I like to tackle that is to overhaul recipes I love, with healthier versions. I find that you can often learn to enjoy healthier versions just as much and sometimes, even more than the originals.

It’s all about making yourself the right desserts, not eliminating them altogether. Heck, I’d go so far as to say this recipe is so healthy and nutritious you’d be setting your day up for an excellent start if you ate a big scoop for breakfast. FACT!

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN A PLUM BERRY CRISP?

This Plum Berry Crisp has been born out of my love for fruit crumbles. Most recipes you’ll find for crumbles are full of sugar, literally cupfuls of the stuff, as well as processed flour. There’s just no need!

In this recipe, I’m using real whole food ingredients, including fruit, oats, nuts, seeds, spices, natural sweetener and healthy fats that will provide a good dose of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Here’s the breakdown:

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THE FRUIT FILLING

My chosen fruits are blueberries, blackberries, plum and a little lemon. This combination provides just enough sweet and a slight tartness. I’m going to be sweetening and balancing the fruit filling with honey (a natural sweetener) and adding some tapioca (a natural alternative to cornstarch) to thicken the juices as the fruit breaks down in the oven.

MORE REAL FOOD SWAPS: Arrowroot is a great alternative to tapioca, and maple syrup can be used instead of honey.

THE CRISP TOPPING

I am using oats, ground almonds, mixed nuts (pecans, walnuts and almonds) and seeds (sunflower and pumpkin) to make a super-satisfyingly crunchy topping. Then, I’m taking it to next-level deliciousness with the help of cinnamon and nutmeg. I add melted coconut oil to help my Crisp turn golden brown in the oven. And as an optional, but welcome finishing touch, a good sprinkling of coconut sugar before it goes in the oven for a deep caramel-like flavour and a satisfying crunch factor.

MORE REAL FOOD SWAPS: You can use any combination of nuts or just one type if that is your preference. Cinnamon is one of my favourite spices to use when baking and why it features in this recipe, but you could also use ginger, allspice, pumpkin pie spice as you fancy. Butter can also be used in place of coconut oil, and it will turn the topping even more golden.

HOW DO YOU MAKE A CRISP?

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1. Prepare your ingredients.
2. Add the fruit to a bowl with the honey and tapioca flour. Gently mix until the fruit is well coated, then pour into a 9-inch ovenproof baking dish or skillet and set aside.
3. Combine the oats, chopped nuts, seeds, spices and coconut oil and mix together with a large spoon until everything is well combined. This is your Crisp topping.
4. Pour the Crisp over the top of the fruit and sprinkle over some coconut sugar.
5. Bake!

CAN I CHANGE THE FRUIT COMBINATION?

If you don’t want to use plums, blackberries or blueberries, you could try rhubarb and strawberry, apple and blackberry or peach and redcurrant. Use your favourite combo and make this recipe work for you.

If you’re going to be combining a harder fruit, like apples with softer fruits like raspberries, make sure to chop the apples into small chunks, so they have the chance to soften before the raspberries go mushy.

HOW LONG DOES PLUM BERRY CRISP LAST?

This recipe really doesn’t last very long in my house, so I haven’t ever tested it beyond 2 days. The topping does have the potential to go soggy on the underside. So, my recommendation if you want to use this recipe for breakfast meal prep would be to bake the fruit filling and Crisp topping separately. Follow the same instructions for the fruit filling. But then, bake the Crisp on a baking tray on its own.

Once cooked, refrigerate the fruit filling in an airtight container for 4-5 days. The Crisp topping won’t need to go into the fridge. Keep it fresh by storing it in an airtight container in the store cupboard (pantry). It will last for about 2 weeks.

To reheat, bake for about 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven at Gas Mark 5/ 375°F/ 190°C.

CAN YOU FREEZE PLUM BERRY CRISP?

I would usually freeze this Plum Berry Crisp before baking. Then when I want to serve it, I simply bake from frozen at Gas Mark 5/ 375°F/ 190°C for about 55-60 minutes. You’ll want it bubbling hot.

If you want to freeze it after you’ve baked it, then seal it tightly and freeze as soon as it has cooled. This should prevent the crisp from getting too soggy on the underside, as it sits in the fruit syrup.

HOW DO YOU MAKE PLUM BERRY CRISP VEGAN?

To make this recipe vegan, omit the honey. You can use maple syrup or coconut sugar as an alternative in the fruit filling.

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Are you looking for a healthy dessert? This Plum Berry Crisp might just be what you’re looking for! If you make it, I’d love to know how it turns out. Please get in touch in the comments and let me know.

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