Pineapple Brown Sugar Crisp

I love dishes that are half fruit and half granola/streusel topping. I love them, because depending on your mood and how you dress them up, they can make for a decadent dessert, a scrumptious side dish, or the perfect mid-morning/brunch option.  This delicious Pineapple Brown Sugar Crisp is one of those versatile dishes!

What is unique about this dish, is that with the presence of the lime juice and fresh ginger, there is a very distinct sense of sweet blended in with a kick of spice and zest.  People may see this dish and expect the sweetness of pineapple paired with the sweet crunchy topping, however their taste buds are in for a greater treat than just that!

 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 large fresh pineapple (about 4-1/4 lb.), peeled, cored, cut lengthwise into eighths, then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (see this page for a demonstration!)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the first six ingredients.  Use your fingers to spread the butter into the other ingredients until it is pea-sized or smaller and the mixture resembles crumbly breadcrumbs (it should hold together when squeezed!)
3. Place the crumble topping in the refrigerator, uncovered, and move on to make the filling.
4. In a small bowl, mix the lime juice, ginger, and a pinch of salt together. Whisk until blended.
5. In a separate large bowl, toss the pineapple chunks with the cornstarch. Add the lime juice mixture and stir until evenly coated.
6. Transfer the pineapple to a 9-inch square-baking dish. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove the foil, but continue to bake the dish for about an additional 15 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling up around the edges and the top is golden-brown.
8. Serve with a cool glass of milk, a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, or just as is! You can’t go wrong! Enjoy!

Notes and Tips!:

• Source: Fine Cooking
• Like this recipe? Try these other delicious treats from ‘a rented kitchen!’: Sweet Potato Casserole, Apple Pie Egg Rolls, Baked Grapefruit, Graham Cracker Crumb Fruit Dip
• I always always recommend using a fresh pineapple as opposed to canned pineapple. Canned pineapple is easier, however I think more often than not you can taste the difference. So, for your convenience, I have posted a picture demonstration of the proper way to cut a pineapple. Check it out for yourself and see if you can taste the difference!