Canned Peaches Are The Secret To An Easier Fruit Crisp In A Flash

Peaches might be a summer fruit, but sometimes the craving for them is an all-year-round, neverending thing. Luckily, there are always canned peaches to rely on, so whenever your dish needs the fruit's fragrant, floral sweetness, the solution sits right there in the pantry. It's astonishing just how versatile canned peaches are. This is especially true with fruit crisp, more specifically peach crisp – a breakfast and dessert hybrid that you can whip up in a flash, and even quicker when using canned peaches.

More often than not, fresh fruits are the ideal choice for fruit crisps, but when they aren't in season and frozen ones aren't available or preferential, the canned type is a fantastic substitute. Beyond that, it offers the exceptional convenience of saving time and effort because it hardly needs preparation. Unlike fresh ones, which require pitting and slicing, or frozen ones that require thawing, all you need to do with canned peaches is drain the syrup and they're good to go into the fruit crisp.

The flavors, however, are still very much guaranteed to be everything you want in regular peaches, albeit not entirely similar. Soaked in juice or syrup, their bold sweetness will be the main highlight while the signature peachy scent takes a backseat in the undertone. In the fruit crisp, these flavor notes bring an extraordinary depth – a much-needed addition for those who like their desserts indulgent and vibrant.

Since the canned peaches are already sweetened, they can be added straight into the crumb toppings right after the liquid drains. The liquid can be discarded, but you can also make the most of it by boiling it with sugar and cornstarch for a minute or two until it thickens. This makes an excellent sauce for the fruit crisp, giving it a slightly more luscious texture that keeps the dryness at bay. However, make sure that you add just enough sauce to coat the peaches and nothing more – too much and the crisp might end up soggy.

The canned peaches alone are good enough but don't hesitate to use other canned fruits as well if you want the crisp to be more versatile and flavorful. Canned pineapples, for example, bring a tart, tropical taste that complements the peaches so well. Fresh fruits can join the party, too. Baked in the oven, they'll meld seamlessly into one another and the differences will barely be noticeable. You can also experiment with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, or cardamom for a hint of flavorful heat that delightfully contrasts with the overall sweetness. Just a small sprinkle is all it takes to elevate your crisp.