Bing Cherry Walnut Oatmeal Crumble

You’ll Need:

1 1/2 pounds fresh Bing cherries, halved and pitted
1 cup apple juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped*
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces (1 stick)
1/2 cup old-fashioned (not quick-cooking) oatmeal, uncooked
1/3 cup cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Procedures : Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cherries in a bowl and pour the apple juice over them. Set aside 1 hour.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar and the chopped nuts in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oatmeal. Set aside.

Strain apple juice from cherries and place in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the cornstarch and the salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cherries and almond extract. Spoon the mixture into a deep 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle crumble topping over the cherries.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the crumble is bubbly at the edges and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

* To toast nuts, spread on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 5 to 8 minutes or until brown. Or heat in a dry skillet over medium heat until they start to brown. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to burn