As I’ve mentioned in about 11 million threads, I started the Atkins diet three and a half weeks ago. Before that, I was a major sugar fiend. Junkie might be a better word.
Anyway, tomorrow one of the guys at work is leaving, so I told him I’d bring something. What I’m going to make is homemade peach crisp with a bottom crust. Best stuff ever.
Here’s the freaky part: I’m looking forward to making it not just because I like to bake ('cause I do), but to challenge my willpower, so to speak. I am looking forward to being tempted. Am I messed up?
If I remember correctly, there’s a Hindu tradition of making a wonderful sweet thing as a gift, and not eating or tasting any of it, to make it completely a gift and not of benefit to yourself. I read that somewhere and thought it was a lovely idea.
I think it’s very zen. I had similar feelings when I gave up smoking. The method I used encouraged hanging around with smokers, drinking, having cigarettes on hand and actively causing cravings in order to resist them. After a while it was enjoyable to pull a cigarette out of the packet, play with it until I felt the urge to light up and then just go …nah and put it away.
It’s really pretty simple, Big Bad Voodoo Lou. By which I mean I don’t have a written recipe for it. So this may not be entirely precise. But here goes.
2 big can lite syrup sliced peaches, juice reserved
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp (or so) flour
1/2 tsp (or so) vanilla
1/2 tsp (or so) salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 c. flour
2 c. quick oats
2 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. butter, melted*
2 prepared pie crusts (purchased or your favorite recipe)
Use the pie crusts to line a 9x13 baking dish, tearing and patching where necessary. (I always use Pyrex.) Drain the peaches, reserving the juice. Place the peaches inside the crust. Over medium-low heat, make a roux from 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp flour. Stir it for about a minute, and then add about half the reserved syrup, a little at a time so you don’t get clumps. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla and 1/4 tsp. salt. Pour evenly over the peaches.
Mix 1 cup butter, brown sugar, 2 cups flour, quick oats, baking powder, baking soda and 1/4 tsp. salt to make the topping. Crumble over the top of the peaches to your heart’s content. Fold any crust that’s sticking up over the topping. (NOTE: For those of you who have made crisp before, you won’t need to double the topping in this recipe. In fact, you’ll probably have quite a bit left over. Just make another small crisp, freeze it, or eat it.) Cook at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes.
