Cherry Basil and Pistachio Crisp

I hate summer. I’ve always hated summer. I’m not sure if I’m ever going to know what it’s like to long for summer. Just sensing the transition from spring to summer sends the hairs on the back of my neck into a quiet dread. At the crux of my grievances is the inability to regain control of the heat. For the entirety of the season, it seems like I can never take enough showers to wipe myself clean of my sweaty stickiness. Moreover, we are globally living through both the coolest and hottest summers of our lives thus far. The heat will only continue to be more frequent, more intense, and will last longer from this point on. The summer continues to bleed well into my birth season (the fall) as well, with no signs of retrieving in the foreseeable future. I don’t think there are enough mint lemonades in the world to quench my growing exasperation. 

However, my hatred is not without appreciation. When the heat and my hatred let up for a moment, I am able to appreciate the produce that is available throughout the season, especially those of the -ies variety. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, and cherries make my heart ring fondly. Further ruminating on these feelings of gratitude, I’m deeply appreciative of the summer pie. Their existence surely predates the invention of the AC, which highlights the existence of summers where the heat wasn’t so sweltering and unbearable. At some point in the past, more people were able to comfortably turn on their ovens to enjoy a summer pie or crisp, without the need for an artificial system that regulates the temperature of the air. Now, parts of the US are experiencing wet-bulb events more frequently. In Los Angeles, it is our low income and unhoused neighbors who experience the grunt of the urban heat island effect. At the international scale, it’s the people and animals that live in the Global South that continue to pay the ultimate price of rising temperatures, collapsing ecosystems, and ecofascism. 

Climate change continues to fundamentally transform what places on the globe are hospitable and inhospitable. The act of baking, in turn, has become a privilege or at the very least, a signal of one’s privilege. As the frequency in which parts of the globe experience wet-bulb events, urban heat islands, and other climate catastrophes increase, so too does the demand for the relief from the scorching Earth. In order to enjoy the fruits of summer in a baked good, one should also have the financial security of being able to pay the AC utility bill. As such, baking is a question of accessibility. The rising costs of food and housing further alienates bakers, or potential bakers, from their craft. Understandably so, the pressures of living under late stage capitalism causes more and more people to prioritize having a roof over their heads and enough food to eat. The thought of even turning on an oven during the summer–or perhaps the idea of having a home with a working oven–is simply becoming inconceivable.

I’ve always been a summer hater and I’m not sure if that’ll change any time soon. But more so than that, I recognize that it’s the unrelenting inequality and injustice–that both capitalism and climate change enshrine–that ignite my anger towards summer. As a baker, it has become all the more important to not only recognize the privilege of this job, but to also bake for and fight for a better future. The only dessert that’ll suffice my exasperation towards the season is a future in which everyone and anyone can turn on their oven during the summer, in the dignity of their own homes, without giving the heat a second thought and bake something delightful.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cherry Basil and Pistachio Crisp

Course: Dessert

Keyword: Cherry Basil, Crisp, Pistachio

Author: Shawn

Ingredients

For the basil cherry filling:

• ¼ cup fresh basil minced; lightly packed
• 1 tsp orange zest
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 lbs frozen red cherries thawed
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ½ tbsp cornstarch

For the pistachio crisp:

• ⅓ cup AP flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup light brown sugar lightly packed
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter cold and cubed
• ½ cup pistachios roughly chopped
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

For the whipped mascarpone (optional):

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
• 1 tbsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 8 oz. mascarpone cold

Instructions

For the basil cherry filling:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F.
• Grease a 9” baking dish with butter and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, kosher salt, minced basil, and orange zest. Using very clean hands, pinch the basil and orange zest with the sugar and salt until both the basil and zest are well distributed throughout the sugar. This helps bring out the essential oils of the basil and orange zest.
• Cut some of the cherries in half, leaving the smaller ones whole. Ensure that there are no remaining seeds in the cherries that are left whole.
• Add the cherries, orange juice, vanilla extract, and cornstarch to the bowl. Give everything a good toss, cover, and set aside.

For the pistachio crisp and assembly:

• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt.
• Add the butter to the flour. With very clean hands, pinch the butter and flour together until the butter resembles the size of large peas.
• Add the oats and pistachios, and gently toss the ingredients until they are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture.
• Add the filling to the prepared baking dish and evenly spread the pistachio crisp on top.
• Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and then place the crisp on top. This prevents the cherry juices from overflowing onto the bottom of the oven as the crisp bakes.
• Bake the crisp for 35-40 minutes. The crisp should be an even golden brown color on top and the cherry juices should be bubbling vigorously around the edges.
• Allow the crisp to cool for 30 minutes before serving. As the crisp cools, make the whipped mascarpone topping.

For the whipped mascarpone (optional):

• Add the heavy cream, vanilla paste, and powdered sugar to a large bowl. With a hand mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
• Scrape the bowl and add the mascarpone. Beat the heavy cream and mascarpone together for another 2 minutes. Do not over beat! The mascarpone can easily split and curdle.
• When the crisp has cooled, serve with a generous dollop of the whipped mascarpone or your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy! <3