Oct 23

Oct 23 Perfect Apple Crisp

The perfect dessert for all your post-apple picking dinners.

I have a couple friends who enjoy baking as much as I do, and many times throughout the week we'll text each other a great new recipe we came across, or a photo of a mouthwatering dessert. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, one of them will save a slice of pie or a couple cookies for me.

Last week, one of these such friends went apple picking with her family on a nearby farm, here in Upstate New York. They drove away with so many apples, she gifted a few pecks to friends… and I was fortunate to be one of the recipients. My mind went through a quick checklist of possible treats to make. I still had some applesauce in the freezer from last year, and as much as I love pie… I just didn't have it in me to make a homemade crust. That left apple crisp. Of course I asked her for a great crisp recommendation, but she was in the same boat as me. Nothing worth bookmarking to make year after year, let alone passing along to your baking buddy.

I decided I was going to come up with the perfect Apple Crisp recipe for the both of us, so we never had to search (and be let down) again. It would have to be full of natural apple flavor, autumn spices and most definitely… a thick, crumbly topping. We both often decide to bake a given recipe last minute, without much planning. It's not unusual to find ourselves without an ingredient or two… making substitutions and hoping for the best. She mentioned she doesn't always have walnuts on hand so I knew this version would be nut-free. My husband says he doesn't like to eat cooked fruit, but likes the “apple goo" (think canned fruit fillings or McDonald's apple pies); so I decided to reduce the amount of sugar in the topping, and toss the filling with some instead… like I would with a traditional apple pie. Lastly, it had to be easy, just like Grandma would make. No specialty ingredients, no fancy tool or appliance. I used an old fashioned apple corer/peeler/slicer to make quick work of preparing the apples and a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour and oat mixture; but a sharp knife and a set of forks (or even your fingertips) could achieve the same thing.

My family has enjoyed it a few times now, and I feel confident in passing it along to you. It’s exactly what I was looking for, made even better with a small scoop of ice cream or homemade whipped cream on top!

That thick layer of buttery oat crumbs is my favorite part!

Ingredients:

8-9 large apples, mixed varieties
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes, room temperature
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

I paired this with a pint of some fantastic Maple Ice Cream with Ginger Cookie Swirl from Trader Joe’s, but pumpkin or even a good quality vanilla would be just as tasty.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Peel and core the apples, slice thinly, approximately 1/3” each. Place them in a large baking dish (such as a 9x13”) and toss them together with the granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients and then cut in the cubed butter, either with a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingertips. until fully incorporated and looks like a chunky crumb topping.

Sprinkle the topping over the apples and bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled. We like ours warm with a small scoop of ice cream!