Vegan Red Berry Hibiscus Crisp

 I have been really digging cranberries lately.  Maybe it is because I kind of miss tart summer berries, and when baked into desserts, they are kind of similar.  Nice and jammy, sweet and tart when combined with just the right ingredients.  Or maybe the fact that I am missing warmer weather when the sun is out until 8 o'clock at night.  It gets dark so early that by the time I get off work there is no sun. So I try and soak up as much as possible on the weekends.  Since I can't have summer, I made a vegan crisp with flavors that reminded me of it, but with seasonal ingredients.  By seasonal, I mean cranberries and pecans.

 

I did lace those cranberries with frozen raspberries, so I am calling this a red berry crisp.  I also added another unique flavor to it, hibiscus.  L.C. Finns makes a hibiscus extract that I have been dying to try using in something, and this was my chance.  I have paired hibiscus with berries before and loved it.

For the topping, I had to include oats. I know not everyone includes them in their crisp, but I consider them an essential item in mine for crunch.  I also added pecans, because it just seemed right.  It smelled amazing while baking.  I could not wait to try it.  My patience paid off and I was rewarded with deliciousness.  I was a little selfish with this one.  I know it says two servings, but it was one Amy serving.  I had this all to myself, and it was wonderful.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack at the center position. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on the rack. Oil the pie plate or bowl with cooking spray. In a large bowl, toss together the berries, maple syrup, orange juice and zest, vanilla, hibiscus extract, hibiscus flowers and flour. Spoon into prepared bowls or pie plates, and cover with foil. Place plates on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until fruit is cooked through and bubbling. Meanwhile, to make the topping, combine the flour, sugar, coconut oil and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, or 2 knives, cut butter into the flour until it is in pea sized chunks and clumping together. Add oats coconut, and with hands, squeeze the mixture together forming larger chunks as well as incorporating the oats and coconut until it is evenly distributed as you go. Place in the fridge until the crisps are ready to top. When the fruit has baked for 45 minutes, and is bubbling, remove from the oven and top with the crisp mixture. Place back in the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until lightly brown and toasted (keep a close eye on it as coconut burns very quickly). Remove from oven and let cool until warm...enjoy!