First came the topping. We tried everything from Grape-Nuts to cookie crumbs and found the ideal topping mixture to be chopped nuts and flour. Cutting the butter into the flour is crucial in creating a crisp topping, and we found that a food processor was ideally suited to producing a mixture that resembles crumbly wet sand. Another issue to tackle was sugar: what kind and how much. White sugar alone was too bland, while brown sugar on its own was too strong tasting. A 50/50 mix of each proved to be the perfect combination. As for the amount, we found that combining 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture with 6 tablespoons of flour gave us just the right measure of sweetness and no "floury" taste.

We wanted to keep the fruit mixture on the tart side for contrast with the nicely sweet topping. A ratio of 1/4 cup sugar to 6 cups of fruit was optimal. We departed from traditional recipes by deciding to not add a thickener to the fruit; letting the juices flow resulted in a much brighter, clean fruit taste. Only plums, which tend to be very juicy, needed a tablespoon of tapioca for thickening.

FRUIT CRISP

To make a larger crisp that serves 10, double all the ingredients, use a 13 x 9-inch baking pan, and bake for 55 minutes at 375 degrees, without increasing the oven temperature. If making an apple crisp, we recommend equal quantities of Granny Smith and McIntosh apples. Peel, core, and cut apples and pears into one-inch chunks. Peel, pit, and cut nectarines, peaches, and plums into half-inch wedges. If using plums, add one tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca to the fruit mixture. Half a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger makes a nice flavor addition to all the fruits.

Topping Mixture
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
3/4 cups pecans or whole almonds, chopped coarse (or chopped fine if mixing topping by hand) (about 3/4 cup)

2 1/2-3 pounds fruit of choice (6 cups cut)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest from one lemon

1. For the topping: Place flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade. Add chilled butter and pulse until mixture moves from dry sand-like appearance with large lumps of butter to a coarse cornmeal texture, about three 4-second bursts. Add nuts and pulse until mixture resembles crumbly sand (see center photo, below), about five 1-second bursts. Do not overprocess or mixture will take on a smooth, cookie-dough-like texture. (To mix by hand, allow butter pieces to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in medium bowl. Add butter; toss to coat. Pinch butter chunks and dry mixture between fingertips until mixture looks like crumbly wet sand. Add nuts and toss to distribute evenly. Do not overmix.) Refrigerate mixture while preparing fruit, at least 15 minutes.

2. Toss cut fruit, sugar, lemon juice, and zest (along with 1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca if using plums as fruit) in medium bowl.

3. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Scrape fruit mixture with rubber spatula into 8-inch square (2 quart) baking pan or 9-inch round deep dish pie plate. Distribute chilled topping evenly over fruit; bake for 40 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees; bake until fruit is bubbling and topping is deep golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Serve warm or at room temperature.

APPLE-RASPBERRY CRISP

Follow recipe for Apple Crisp, reducing amount of cut apples to 5 cups (about 3 medium Granny Smith and 2 medium McIntosh) and adding 1 cup rinsed fresh raspberries to fruit mixture.

PEACH-BLUEBERRY CRISP

Follow recipe for Peach Crisp, reducing amount of cut peaches to 5 cups (about 5 medium peaches) and adding 1 cup rinsed fresh blueberries and 1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca to fruit mixture.