When baking a fruit crisp (oatmeal kind) how do i get the crisp, crisp? mine is always cake like and soft.?!
Answers: i remember a fruit crisp in elementary school and i can not find out how to make it. the topping was chewy, crispy and not soft cake like. i have thrown out pan after pan of this stuff because i can not make it crisp.
How are you making your crisp?
I make apple crisp... and the crisp is basically 2 cups of instant or quick rolled oats, a handful of brown sugar, sprinkle of cinnamon and butter. Mix the ingredients together, and work butter through with your hands... start with about a tablespoon, and continue til all oatmeal is kind of damp/greasy, but will bind together slightly.
Sprinkle it over your fruit, and bake at about 350 - 400.
I find the butter and brown sugar is what makes it crispy. Do you use flour? Maybe thats what is making it more cake-like.
Good luck
use less butter, crumble a thin layer & then let it bake for about 30 minutes. The longer it bakes & the "drier" it is when you mix it the faster it will crisp. I always find I need to bake the crisp longer than directions call for to get that top the way I like it!
if you have a convection oven...the last 5 or so minutes of cooking, change the oven setting to convect, and it will brown the top nicely and make it crunchy
You could use the "broil" setting on your oven for the last five minutes, that toasts things really well!
I use the Betty Crocker recipe and get crisp results. The problem may be the fruit you are using is too moist or not drained well enough? Here is the recipe, I usually double because I love the topping!!
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup butter, room temp
3/4 tsp cinnamon
4 medium apples, peeled and sliced or 4 cups other fruit such as canned cherries, peaches, etc
Heat oven to 375. Place fruit on bottom of 9x9 pan. Mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Crumble on top of fruit and bake for 30-40 minutes.
What makes the fruit crisp topping crispy is the butter and sugar. Cake like topping means too much oatmeal, or if you're adding flour, too much flour. Try equal amount of sugar, butter, and oatmeal with just a pinch of salt. For a true crisp, the oatmeal should be substituted for flour (crisps traditionally don't have oatmeal). Don't forget to add cinnammon to the topping for apples, pears and peaches!
OK- Heres the trick...Combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and a pinch of salt in a food processor, drizzle 2 tsp vanilla on top and combine in about five 1 second pulses. Add 6 tbsp very soft butter (I add 1/4 cup sliced almonds also- but I realize you don't care for them, maybe just substitute oatmeal?) then I process this for about 30 seconds- scrape sides of bowl halfway thru. Then I add 1/4 cup more almonds(or oats)- And pulse a couple more times- Then- I put this mixture on a parchement lined cookie sheet in an even layer- mixture should be in roughly 1/2 inch chunks-Bake at 350 18-22 minutes until golden brown. After this sprinkle over your prepared fruit, sprinkle a little sugar over the top and bake at 375- 25 minutes or so and voila! A crisp topping!
APPLE CRISP ( OR ANY KIND OF FRUIT)
2 cups fruit
1-2 cup brown sugar
1-4 cup flour
1-4 cup oats
3 Tablespoon of soft butter
combine brown sugar,flour,oats,and butter
mix until crumbly. sprinkle over fruit. bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.
About one cup of oats, 1/2 to 1 cup of packed brown sugar and about a tablespoon of flour. Mix and spread over the fruit and bake in the oven for time needed. I have even put a crisp in the microwave for 3 minute intervals and came out with crispy topping. (my microwave will turn a regular cake pan. It takes 9 to 12 minutes to cook a crisp that size, I check it every 3 minutes.) You could add 1/2 stick of melted butter or margarine for added flavor. Most people use to much flour.