Apple Pear Cranberry Crisp with White Wine

I made the most delicious apple cranberry skillet crisp in this Le Creuset braiser, which has become one of my favorite kitchen items. I use it for everything – both dinner and dessert, sweet and savory.

This recipe is based one from my new book, a crisp with cherries and rhubarb, but I’ve replaced the summer fruits with winter-y ones instead. Also, some friends have been posting recipes from my book, The Vanilla Bean Baking Book!

Check out:

Orange Cranberry Poundcake on Apt. 2B Baking Co.

Chocolate Chip Cookies on Eat This Poem

Mint Chocolate Cake on Appeasing a Food Geek

Pumpkin Chocolate Cake with Meringue on Turntable Kitchen

Sweet Potato Scones on A Thought For Food

Pumpkin Olive Oil Bread on Simple Bites

Apple Pear Cranberry Crisp with White Wine Recipe

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Note that the weight of apples/pears needed is the weight after being peeled, sliced, and cored. Cranberries add a very tart note here, so if you are looking for something sweeter you can omit them, and make up the difference in apples and pears. This apple pear cranberry crisp bakes fine in a 9 x 13 inch pan; I’ve used the Le Creuset 3 3/4 quart braiser in the photos.

1/4 cup (28g) cornstarch
¼ cup (50g) sugar, plus ½ cup (99g) sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch cloves
1 cup sweet white wine
¼ teaspoon salt
7 ounces (200g) cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 pounds (680g) sliced Gala apples, (peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces), 5-6 apples
1 1/2 pounds (680g) sliced Bartlet pears, ripe but still firm, (peeled, cored, and sliced 1-inch pieces), 5-6 pears
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice

­Whole Wheat Streusel
½ cup (78g) whole wheat flour
½ cup (71g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (45g) rolled oats
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (101g) unsalted butter, room temperature

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, ¼ cup sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

In a large saucepan, combine the white wine, ½ cup sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cranberries to the saucepan and let them boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add the butter to the fruit, stir until the butter is melted and combined. Let the mixture cool until slightly warm.

While the mixture is cooling, peel and slice the apples and pears, and place them in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle and lower middle position. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare the whole wheat streusel. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the whole wheat and all-purpose flours, granulated and brown sugars, and salt. With the mixer running on low, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together but still is quite crumbly. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer.

Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice into the cranberry-white wine mixture, then stir in the cornstarch mixture until completely combined.

Pour all the contents from the saucepan over the apples and pears, and then cover with foil and place in the oven on the upper middle rack. Place the streusel on the lower middle rack. Let the streusel bake for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool slightly. Let the fruit bake 12-15 minutes more after the streusel is removed form the oven, until the apples are tender and the fruit (mostly the cranberries) is bubbling. Carefully remove the pan from the oven, remove the foil, and top the fruit evenly with the streusel. Bake for 15-20 more minutes, until the fruit is soft, the liquid is thick and bubbly, and the streusel is golden brown.

Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack and let the apple pear cranberry crisp cool slightly before serving. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.