Becky Duffett
RECIPE
Heirloom Apple Crisp with Oats & Spices
You know what’s easier than apple pie? Tossing together this quick crisp.When Jolie Devoto was growing up on her family’s orchard, she used to gather any leftover apples from the barn, and bake them into a classic apple crisp, which she sold for $7 a pop to family and friends. Jolie relied on a tried-and-true recipe from Betty Crocker in the 1950s, and it’s never let her down.
Inspired by those kinds of old-school recipes, this fresh version from Bi-Rite bumps up the flavor with peak-season heirloom apples, toasted oats and walnuts, and sensational spices. It’s even easier to toss together than pie, whenever you’re craving apples this autumn. (Although never forget, Bi-Rite Creamery also bakes a butter-bomb pie.)
Ingredients
For the filling:
2 pounds tart baking apples, such as Gravenstein, Jonathan, Arkansas Black, or Black Twig (see note below)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/16 teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chopped
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts
Vanilla ice cream for serving
Note: With such few ingredients in this rustic fruit dessert, Jolie says the most important thing is choosing a “charismatic apple variety with at least a little bit of acid and great flavor.”
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a square baking pan or dish (9 x 9 inches).
To make the filling, peel, core, and chop the apples into 1/2 inch pieces.
Pile them in a bowl, squeeze the lemon juice over, and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/16 teaspoon of salt and toss again.
Pour the apples into the prepared baking pan and spread in an even layer.
To make the topping, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pulse to combine.
Add the butter and process until the mixture starts to form crumbs.
Add the oats and walnuts pulse a few times until combined and broken up a bit. (Alternatively, if you don’t have a food processor, you could do this in a bowl, breaking in the butter with your fingertips, and roughly chopping the walnuts before adding.)
Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling.
Bake until the topping is golden and the apples are tender, about 30 minutes.
Let cool for a few minutes, then ladle into shallow bowls and serve warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
