Easy-bake crisp: A sweet, forgiving recipe that’s hard to foul up

Some folks need to learn to walk before they can run (and certainly before they take up ballet).

So, for all of you frustrated noncooks out there, here is a fabulous dessert you can put together with no advanced techniques and no specialized equipment other than a food processor.

Really, it’s endlessly adaptable and extremely forgiving. And even those of you who do love to cook: Don’t tell me there aren’t evenings when something like that doesn’t sound like just the ticket.

Fruit crisps are not complicated. The first thing you need to know about a crisp — well, actually, maybe the only thing you need to know — is this ratio: 2 parts flour, 1 part sugar, 1 part butter.

In other words, for the topping for a small fruit crisp, you’ll want 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup each of sugar and butter. For a decent-sized crisp (say, one made in a 2-quart dish), you’ll want to double that (1 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar and butter).

You can use all sorts of fruit, either by themselves or in combination.

I really love peaches or nectarines along with raspberries or blackberries. In the spring, strawberries and rhubarb. In the fall and winter, apples or pears and raisins.

Sweeten to your taste with the pure, sweet flavor of white sugar, the caramel tones of brown sugar or the complexity of honey.

Add more or less flour to the fruit depending on how ripe it is (riper, juicier fruit will require more flour to thicken). Spice as you wish. I really like cinnamon with peaches, but maybe you prefer cloves. Or cardamom.

Other options are more subtle. Believe it or not, the shape of the baking dish makes a difference in how the dessert turns out.

If you want juicier, fresher-tasting fruit, bake it in a smaller dish that is deeper. I like mine in a wider, shallower gratin dish that allows more of the juice to evaporate, concentrating the flavors as it cooks into a jam.

Bake until the topping is crisp and brown and the fruit is tender and bubbling.

Peach and blackberry crisp

3 1/2-4 pounds peaches (see note)

1pint blackberries (1/2 pound)

1teaspoon cinnamon

2-3 tablespoons brown sugar

1cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided

1teaspoon lemon juice

1/2cup sugar

1/2teaspoon salt

1/2cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into chunks

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the peaches: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each peach, and blanch it quickly in the boiling water until the peel starts to lift away from the peach. The blanching time will vary depending on the ripeness of the peach. Transfer it to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, and peel away the skin with your fingers. If the peel proves difficult to remove, simply return the peach to the boiling water and try again. If after 5 minutes of blanching, the peaches are still not peeling easily, use a small paring knife to scrape away the skin.

Note: Substitute nectarines for peaches and skip the peeling.

Pit the peach by cutting it in half, following the cleft that runs down one side. Twist and the flesh will separate. Discard the pit and cut the peach into bite-size pieces. You should have about 7 cups to 8 cups of peeled, pitted, cut-up peaches.

Place the peaches in a bowl with the blackberries, cinnamon, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and the lemon juice and stir gently to combine. Set aside while you make the topping.

In a food processor, briefly pulse together the sugar, salt and remaining 1 cup of flour just to combine. Distribute the chunks of butter over the top and pulse just until the mixture resembles wet, clumpy sand.

Dump the peach mixture into a 2-quart baking dish or gratin dish and give it a good shake to make sure it’s evenly distributed. Spoon the crumbly mixture over the top, distributing it evenly. Bake until the top is crusty and brown and the peaches are soft, about 45 minutes.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 316 calories; 4 grams protein; 51 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 12 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 31 milligrams cholesterol; 149 milligrams sodium.