Vegan recipes for a kinder lifestyle

Pear and Mixed Berry Crisp

A fresh pear and berry crisp that taste as good as it looks. The slight tartness of the berries with the mellow sweetness of the pears is a great taste combination. Adding whipped cream make it extra special.

Winter is a great time to make use of the convenience and healthiness of frozen fruit. It’s inexpensive and is as nutritious as fresh fruit, sometimes even more. Frozen fruit is versatile as well. You can make it into smoothies, serve with ice cream or pudding, toss in a salad or bake with it.

For Valentine’s Day this year, I wanted to make a dessert that is light and healthy, but dressy and formal enough to be the finale to a romatic Valentine’s Day dinner. This recipe for pear berry crisp is perfect for both. I used fresh pears and frozen berries and topped it off with coconut whipped cream (recipe). You can also top it with vegan ice cream if you prefer.

Making the crisp

It’s important to cut the pear into uniform size shapes. This will insure they all cook evenly. Thaw the berries by gently rinsing them and then soaking in hot tap water for a few mintues. Be gentle handling the fruit as it can become mushy.

Combine the pears and berries in a large mixing bowl. Mix well and spoon fruit into a prepared baking dish. Cover the fruit with the crumble topple well and uniformly. Don’t press down but insure it’s well covered including the corners.

Once baked, cut into 9 pieces while still hot. Remove each piece carefully with a spatula or pie server. This dessert is best served warm. Make sure to chill the whip cream and remove it from the fridge just before serving. That way it won’t become melt upon contact.

This special crisp proves you can have all the sweet treats and creamy luxury of whipped cream without any cruelty involved. Vegan dairy is delicious, far healthier and as this Februdairy, it’s a good time to break free of the cruelty and harm of animal based dairy.

Please give a kind thought to animals used and bred and killed for dairy this month, and have a sweet and beautiful vegan Valentine’s day!

Pear and Mixed Berry Crisp

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crisps, frozen fruit, fruit crisp, vegan fruit crisp
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Author: Una Rose
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup gluten free flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons gluten free flour
  • 4 cups peeled and sliced pears
  • 4 cups frozen mixed berries
  • 2 -1/2 cups coconut whipped cream

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Well grease a 9×9 inch baking dish and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder and cinnamon. Stir in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, combine the white sugar, and 2 tablespoons flour. Add the sliced pears, and frozen berries, and toss gently to blend.
  • Transfer fruit to the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly with the oat topping. Do not press down.
  • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until pears are soft and topping is golden brown.
  • Let cool slightly. Serve warm with whipped topping.