Brown Butter Peach Crumble

Brown butter and peaches are a perfect match, which is why I make this brown butter peach crumble every summer. Juicy, tart and sweet fresh peaches are tossed with just a touch of sugar and lemon to bring out their flavor and baked under a thick layer of the most delicious brown butter and brown sugar crumble. Served warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, there’s nothing better. Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

• For the peach filling:
  • 6-7 large fresh yellow peaches or nectarines (900-100 grams)
  • 40 grams white or brown sugar (add more, to taste, if your peaches are very tart)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
• For the crumble topping:
  • 100 grams unsalted butter
  • 80 grams brown sugar
  • 170 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius, or 350 Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the peach filling: slice the peaches into medium-sized wedges and place them into a bowl (or directly in your baking dish). Add the sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice, and mix to combine. If you are worried about extra liquid from the fruit, you can add two teaspoons of cornstarch. Pour the peaches into a medium-sized, oven-safe baking dish about 10 x 8 inches (25 x 20 cm). Set aside while you prepare the crumble.
3. Brown the butter: place the butter in a light-colored skillet or saucepan and cook on low heat until melted. Keep cooking, stirring frequently, until it bubbles, foams, and turns golden with brown flecks (this process takes about 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of your pan). Immediately remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof bowl.
4. Let the brown butter cool slightly. Add the rest of the crumble ingredients (flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon) to the browned butter and mix until a crumbly cookie dough forms. If the mixture is very dry (sandy and fine-crumbed instead of generous clumps), add butter, a tablespoon at a time, until you’ve reached the desired texture.
5. Spread the crumble evenly over the peaches.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the peaches are bubbling underneath.
7. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes:

• Baking with other fruit: this recipe for brown butter peach crumble will work with any stone fruit – nectarines, plums, apricots, etc. Different fruits will vary in sweetness, so taste and adjust the filling as needed. I have not tested this with canned peaches.
• Peeling peaches: I never bother peeling the peaches, as the skins add color and flavor, and their texture is hardly noticeable after baking. However, you can peel them beforehand if desired.