Customizable Fruit Crisp in 10 Brief Steps

Fruit crisp is a must around here in the fall, so I use this process all the time to make a quick, healthy-ish dessert with whatever's at the market. I've memorized it because it is super-simple. Tonight's crisp was plum-and-orange crisp with crystallized ginger and honey-cinnamon yogurt cream. Customize your own fall crisp as you wish. Here's the process:

Part One: The Fruit

1. Chop your fruit, whatever kind you have or like, into pieces that are on the small side.

2. Add the juice of half a citrus fruit and sift in a tablespoon of cornstarch.

3. Butter your pan and pour the fruit mixture into it. Set it aside.

Part Two: The Crisp

4. Cut up a few pats of butter into squares and put this in the fridge or freezer.

5. In a separate bowl, mix equal parts cane sugar or light brown sugar, oats, and flour.

6. Add a pinch of salt and the tiny, cold squares of butter.

7. Add the spices you like, any combo of crystallized or powdered ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, or even something like allspice or five-spice powder. Mix it up.

8. Top the fruit evenly with the crisp and drizzle olive oil on top.

9. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Part Three: The Cream

10. No one really wants crisp without something on top to cut the sweetness. I like Greek yogurt whisked with honey or maple syrup with an add-in or a little spice.