New England Peach Brown Betty

Brown Betty predates the cobbler and crumble in American food history — it appears in print as early as 1864 and was a standard of New England farmhouse cooking through the early twentieth century. Unlike a cobbler's biscuit topping or a crumble's oat-laced streusel, Brown Betty layers buttered breadcrumbs between sliced fruit, creating a crispy, caramelised top with a bread-pudding-like interior at its base.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 900g (2 lb) ripe freestone peaches (about 6-7 medium), peeled and sliced 1 cm (1/2 in) thick
• 2 tbsp (25g) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp (30ml) lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 200g (3 cups) day-old white bread, torn into rough crumbs (or panko)
• 115g (4 oz / 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 100g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Butter a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) baking dish or a 2-litre (2-quart) casserole.
2. Toss peach slices with granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, toss breadcrumbs with melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until evenly coated.
4. Spread one-third of the breadcrumb mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer half the peaches over the crumbs. Add another third of the crumbs. Layer the remaining peaches on top. Finish with the final third of buttered crumbs, pressing gently.
5. Cover tightly with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake a further 20-25 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling around the edges.
6. Let rest 10 minutes before serving warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Cook's Notes: The dish improves greatly with slightly overripe peaches, whose extra sweetness and soft texture suit the recipe perfectly. Day-old bread torn by hand produces the ideal irregular crumb texture; avoid finely processed breadcrumbs. In late summer, a mix of peaches and blueberries makes a classic New England variation.