When I’m in the mood for apple pie, but don’t have time to fiddle about with pie dough, I make apple crisp. This version features a crunchy oat topping that’s infused with almond flavor, courtesy of crumbled almond paste and lots of slivered almonds, and the resulting dessert is warm comfort food at its best. Oh, and if almond paste is not your thing (I know some people hate it!), simply leave it out and add an extra tablespoon of butter in its place.
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Almond Crumble Topping
- 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (66 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2/3 cup (144 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 9 tablespoons (127 grams) unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) almond paste, crumbled or chopped into small pieces
- ¾ cup (88 grams) slivered almonds
Apple Filling
- 1/2 cup (108 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or instant tapioca
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 ¼ pounds (1.47 kilograms or about 6 large) apples (I used a mix of Granny Smith, Honey Crisp and Cosmic Crisp), peeled, cored, halved lengthwise and then sliced crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Make the crumble topping
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the butter pieces and almond paste and stir and mash the mixture with a fork or your fingers until the topping is crumbly. Stir in the slivered almonds. Set aside.
Make the filling
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350˚F. Have a 9 x 13-inch (or any shallow 3-quart) baking dish at hand.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Add the apple slices and lemon juice and toss to coat well. Transfer the filling to the baking dish, distributing it evenly, and sprinkle with the crumble topping. Bake the crisp for about an hour, covering the top with foil if it starts to over-brown, until bubbling around the edges. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Recommended Equipment
Stainless Steel Blades and Powerful Suction Base for Apples and Potato
KOOV Individual Lasagne Pan Deep, Rectangular 9×13 Baking Dish
