The Secret Ingredient Bobby Flay Uses To Brighten Up Any Fruit Crisp

When the farmer's market is overflowing with fresh, juicy fruits like rhubarb, apples, or blueberries, there's only one thing to do: Bake a crisp. A fruit crisp is a delicious, warming dessert that can be whipped up any time of the year with whatever's in season. It's sweet, comforting, and pretty straightforward to make. But there is one secret ingredient that celebrity chef Bobby Flay likes to add to brighten up his crisps, and it might be something you never thought of adding before: Candied ginger.

Flay shared the tip in an Instagram video created for Misfits Market, where he breaks down how to prepare the perfect, oat-laden crisp topping. After measuring out his flour in a bowl, the Food Network star adds in a few tablespoons of finely chopped candied ginger and tosses to coat. Candied or crystallized ginger not only adds a satisfying chew to a crisp, but also a gentle, zingy warmth that will brighten up the rich topping.

Candied ginger is made by preserving pieces of ginger root in sugar syrup. When the pieces are rolled in sugar after this process, they become known as crystallized ginger. Both are chewy, delicious, and can be easily made at home or purchased at a grocery store. Crystallized ginger is the more common option available, but either can be used in Bobby Flay's recipe.

Flay chose to use pears, apples, and cranberries for the crisp he made for Misfits Market, where he is the chef-in-residence, but crystallized ginger works well with a lot of different fruits. It pairs beautifully in a plum cobbler or crisp, or one made with mixed berries. It can also add a pop of spice to a strawberry rhubarb crisp when the season arrives. Whatever fruit you choose for your base, a cinnamon-coated topping loaded with candied ginger will help create the ultimate comfort food. Just don't forget the vanilla ice cream!