No-Bake Cherry Crumble

Prep Time

40 minutes

Number of Servings

Serves 8

Recipe Source

Desserts Illustrated by Cook’s Illustrated ($45, America’s Test Kitchen, 2022)

Ingredients

Topping

³⁄₄ cup sliced almonds, divided
²⁄₃ cup (3 ¹⁄₃ oz) all-purpose flour
¹⁄₄ cup packed (1 ³⁄₄ oz) light brown sugar
¹⁄₄ cup (1 ³⁄₄ oz) granulated sugar
¹⁄₂ tsp vanilla extract
¹⁄₄ tsp ground cinnamon
¹⁄₄ tsp table salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Filling

¹⁄₃ cup (2 ¹⁄₃ oz) granulated sugar, divided
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 lbs fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
¹⁄₂ tsp table salt
¹⁄₄ tsp almond extract
²⁄₃ cup dried cherries

Directions

For the topping: Finely chop ¹⁄₄ cup of the almonds. Combine chopped almonds, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Stir in melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand and no dry flour remains.
Toast remaining ¹⁄₂ cup almonds in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate to cool. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
For the filling: Combine 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside. Combine fresh cherries, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, almond extract, and remaining sugar in now-empty skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until cherries release their juice, about 7 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Uncover, stir in dried cherries, and simmer until cherries are very tender, about 3 minutes.
Stir in cornstarch mixture and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Off heat, distribute topping evenly over filling. Return skillet to medium-low heat and cook until filling is bubbling around edges, about 3 minutes. Let cool off heat for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Info

389 Calories, 5 g Protein, 23 mg Cholesterol, 60 g Carbohydrates, 43 g Total sugars (19 g Added sugars), 5 g Fiber, 16 g Total fat (6 g sat), 223 mg Sodium, ★★ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin E, ★ Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin C, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus