Tropical Fruit Coconut Crumble

From the garden

• 5 cups ripe tropical fruit (mango, pineapple, papaya, or ripe plantain), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks · mango and pineapple are the classic filling; papaya and seeded guava suit a mix; very ripe black-skinned plantain can be up to a third of the fruit

From the pantry

• ¾ cup brown sugar · divided: 1/4 cup for the fruit, 1/2 cup for the topping
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup shredded coconut · unsweetened if you have it; cut the topping sugar by 2 tablespoons if using sweetened
• 8 tbsp cold butter, cut into small cubes · plus more for the dish
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup heavy cream (optional) · for pouring over, or use vanilla ice cream or yogurt

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9-inch square or 2-quart baking dish. Cut the fruit into 1-inch chunks over a bowl to catch the juice; pineapple should have its core cut out, and papaya and guava should be seeded.
2. Toss the fruit with 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, the cornstarch, the lime zest and juice, and the ginger until every piece is coated and no dry cornstarch shows. Tip it into the dish and level it out. Very juicy fruit like pineapple needs the full 2 tablespoons of cornstarch; if the bowl has more than a few tablespoons of juice pooled, add another teaspoon.
3. Make the topping. In a bowl, stir together the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the shredded coconut, and the salt. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse damp sand with a few pea-sized lumps. Squeeze a handful; it should clump.
4. Scatter the topping over the fruit in loose clumps without pressing it down, so it bakes crisp rather than into a crust. Set the dish on a sheet pan to catch drips.
5. Bake 35–40 minutes, until the coconut is deep golden and the filling is bubbling thickly at the edges, not just at the corners. If the coconut browns before the fruit bubbles, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
6. Rest at least 15 minutes so the juices set, then serve warm with cold cream poured over. The contrast of hot fruit and cold cream is the whole idea.