HARVEST FRUIT CRUMBLE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare fruit by peeling (apples, peaches, pears), pitting (peaches, cherries), and slicing larger fruit into 1/2" wedges. Measure all fruit together to make 6 1/2 cups.
• 2. Put fruit into a bowl and stir in 1/3 cup white sugar. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to juice up (macerate). Stir occasionally. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and...
• 3. ...make the topping while waiting on the fruit. Combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a **food processor. Sprinkle vanilla over the top. Pulse 5 times to combine. Add butter and half of the nuts (if using). Process until the mixture sticks together, about 30 seconds. (Scrape down sides of bowl, as needed.) Add remaining nuts and pulse twice. **This step can be done in a bowl with a long-tined fork. I use the meat fork that came with my silverware. It just takes a little time and some muscle power.
• 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (best) or silicone sheet or spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread out topping evenly. Mixture will break into chunks. It's supposed to. =^..^= If it doesn't now, it will after it bakes or you can help it out.
• 5. Bake at 350 degrees F on the middle rack until the chunks are firm and LIGHTLY browned, about 16-20 minutes. (Check early the first time you make this.)
• 6. While the topping is baking, check on the macerating fruit. If time is not up, jump down to Step 7 and measure out the other ingredients, besides the fruit juice, and mist a 3 qt. baking dish (or extra large pie plate or 11 x 7" baking dish**) with cooking spray. Once 30 minutes are up, drain the fruit juice, RESERVING 1/4 cup of the juice for Step 7. The rest can be discarded. **You want to have enough space above the fruit & topping so nothing bubbles over into your oven! Also, although I haven't tried it because I don't currently have a cast-iron skillet in the right size, some people LOVE Crumbles & Crisps baked in cast-iron. I expect the final baking time might change, but I don't know for sure. If you make this recipe in a cast-iron skillet, please comment below and let me know. (Thanks!)
• 7. In a bowl, stir together the fruit juice, cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the fruit, then pour into the prepared baking dish.
• 8. BACK TO THE TOPPING... After the topping is lightly browned, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully transfer the topping chunks to cover the fruit in an even layer, pressing down lightly with a spatula. Break up any large chunks. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tablespoon of white sugar. If you used parchment paper, you can pick it up carefully by the corners and slide the topping chunks right over the fruit.
• 9. INCREASE OVEN TEMP TO 375 degrees F! Bake until the topping is well browned and the fruit is bubbling and soft, around 20-30 minutes. Again, check early the first time you make it.
• 10. Cool on a wire rack about 15 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. How about a drizzle of caramel? Bon appetite! =^..^= This photo shows Shishi's Peach, Blueberry, and Blackberry Harvest Crumble. Doesn't it look delicious?