Thanks for the no oats recipes! I grew up with a no oats crisp and made the oats version for many years. To me, it's like eating an oatmeal cookie crumbled over apples. Too heavy and sweet, especially with the ice cream. My version is from Caprial Pence, who once owned a popular bistro in Portland OR and had a cooking show on PBS. Fruit Crisp from Caprial's Desserts 1 c. flour 3/4 c.sugar 3/4 c. cold unsalted butter, diced 1/2 tsp. vanilla pinch of salt Combine all ingredients and mix with fingers until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Note: I like to press some of the dough into marble-sized clumps and refrigerate it to maintain the clumps. Otherwise, it spreads while baking. 7 c. peeled and sliced tart apples 2/3 c.sugar 2 tbsp. cornstarch 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, allspice, and ginger 1 tsp. vanilla Toss fruit with the other ingredients. Place in a 9" x 13" greased pan. Sprinkle with topping. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly, about 45 min.

This is a very good recipe for Pear Crisp from Cooks'. I don't know any reason why you couldn't use fragrant apples instead of the pears: Pear Crisp 9/2007 The test kitchen prefers a crisp made with Bartlett pears, but Bosc pears can also be used. The pears should be ripe but firm, which means the flesh at the base of the stem should give slightly when gently pressed with a finger. Bartlett pears will turn from green to greenish-yellow when ripe. Although almost any unsalted nut may be used in the topping, we prefer almonds or pecans. Serve the crisp with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Serves 6 3/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts (3 ounces), see note above 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (2 1/2 ounces) 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces) 4 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Table salt 5 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled 1 teaspoon cornstarch 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon 3 pounds ripe but firm pears (6-7 medium), see note above 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Process nuts, flour, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in food processor until nuts are finely chopped, about nine 1-second pulses. Drizzle butter over flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles crumbly wet sand, about five 1-second pulses, pausing halfway through to scrape down sides and bottom of workbowl. Set aside while preparing fruit. 2. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and pinch of salt together in large bowl. Peel pears, then halve and core each (see illustrations below). Cut each half into 4 wedges and then cut in half crosswise (pieces should be about 1 1/2 inches). Gently toss pears with sugar mixture and transfer to 8-inch-square baking dish. 3. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit, breaking up any large chunks. Bake until fruit is bubbling around edges and topping is deep golden brown, 27 to 32 minutes. Cool on wire rack until warm, at least 15 minutes, and serve.

I wanted to check back in to let y'all know that you really were spot on about the blackberry being the way to go! I made both the blackberry crisp & Mtnester's Martha Stewart apple-blueberry (thanks again for the recipe, Mtn!). Only my pregnant niece asked for apple-blueberry! The other 8 people asked for blackberry! So given the dwindling supply of blackberry, dh & I went for apple-blueberry, which was very, very good! (Niece had another serving!). We all had vanilla ice cream with our crisp. Thought it was interesting that when given a choice (sight unseen) blackberry was what almost everyone requested. I am glad I had a couple of options though, & it was good to try out another recipe to get some more experience with such things. (Hope each of you enjoyed a day that was merry & bright!). And...thanks, Sally! Yes, please call me Stinky!

Here's my English Apple Pie recipe: 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup flour 2 tsps. ground cinnamon 3 Tbsp. water 1/2 cup chopped pecans 4 large cooking apples, peeled and sliced (about 6 cups) 1/2 cup granulated sugar heavy cream or half-and-half In a medium bowl beat butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Stir in flour, 1 tsp. cinnamon and the water until smooth and thick. Stir in pecans. Mound apples in a 9"quiche dish. Mix granulated sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon; sprinkle over apples. Spoon pecan topping over apples in dollops. Bake on lowest rack of preheated 375° oven 45 to 50 minutes, until apples are tender when pierced. Serve in bowls. Top with cream. Serves 8.