“Help! I just went and picked apples with the kids and we don’t have an apple crisp recipe on our site!”
That was the gist of an email I got one recent Saturday afternoon from my colleague Halley, who leads the Web team here at King Arthur.
“That can’t be,” I thought. “Apple crisp is the absolute penultimate fall recipe. How could we NOT have it on our site?”
I searched. Halley was right. No apple crisp.
Well, I can remedy that.
We actually have lots of apple crisp recipes floating around King Arthur. There’s our Baking Education Center version, perfect for kids’ classes: a simple mixture of apples, flour, and sugar, topped with flour, brown sugar, oats, and butter. There’s Apple-Raspberry Oat Crumble, and Apple Brown Betty, both in our King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking book.
There’s Apple (or Raspberry, or Blueberry, or Peach…) Crisp in our King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook. Harking back to a simpler time, this version doesn’t even add sugar to the apples, relying solely on the topping for sweetening.
And then there’s Apple Crumble, from our Baker’s Companion book – my go-to source for anything I can’t find on our site.
We wrote that book 6 years ago, but I still turn to it constantly, even with so many recipes here at kingarthurflour.com. I figure, I tested them then; I know they work; why go “outside” when the Mother Lode is right here on my bookshelf?
Admittedly, I can’t resist tinkering. That’s what creativity is all about, right? So I upped the cinnamon (for added flavor) and the amount of flour (for a more crumbly texture) in the topping. But other than that – it was good to go.
So – let’s go!
You can make this crisp in a regular square pan, or go fancy: these wedge-shaped stoneware bakers make cute individual servings.
Here’s a handy spice blend to have around, come apple-picking time. If your recipe calls for, say, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice (or cloves), simply substitute 1 3/4 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice.
WHY am I using good ol’ Granny Smiths for this crisp, with all the wonderful pick-your-own Macs, Cortlands, Ginger Golds, Paulareds, et. al. out there at this time of year? Because we photograph these blogs often months in advance; and when I did this one, Grannies were the best choice.
Let’s start with 3 pounds of apples.
Lightly grease a 9″ x 9″ square pan, and preheat the oven to 350°F.
We’re going to peel, core, and slice the apples to make about 2 pounds, about 9 cups prepared apples. An apple peeler/corer/slicer makes short work of this. I can peel, core, and slice an apple in just about 10 seconds – no joke! Truly, if you’re an apple dessert fan, you should treat yourself to one of these babies.
Here are the apples just as they come out of the peeler. One quick vertical swipe of the knife…
…ahh, beautifully even slices! About 1/4” thick is right. For more “toothsome” crisp (or if you’re using Macs, which become quite soft in cooking), cut the slices thicker.
Next, we’ll mix the apples with the following:
1/4 cup rum, apple cider or juice, or the liquor/juice of your choice; or water
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons boiled cider, optional but good
1 1/2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice; or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg + 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or tapioca flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Stir till everything is thoroughly combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.
Next, the streusel topping. This puts the “crisp” in apple crisp.
Combine the following:
3/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup quick oats
heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Add 8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pats.
Work it in till the mixture is crumbly. Add 1/2 cup diced pecans or walnuts, if you like.
Sprinkle the streusel over the apples.
Set the crisp on a parchment-lined baking sheet (to catch any potential drips), and bake the crisp in a preheated 350°F oven for about 60 minutes.
The cinnamon-y apples will become bubbly, and the streusel will brown.
Remove the crisp from the oven, and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. If you serve it right away, it’ll be watery. Ice cream, of course, is always welcome.
OK, let’s go back a few steps, to where we’d combined the apples with the remainder of the filling ingredients.
If you want to use individual wedge-shaped pans, spray six of them with non-stick pan spray.
Spread about half the apples into the pans. Why only half? Because for the moment, that’s all that’ll fit.
Place in the oven…
…and bake till the apples have shrunk in the pans – maybe 20 minutes or so? I apologize, I forgot to write down how long this took!
Pile the rest of the apples on top…
…like this.
Then add the streusel.
Here they are, ready to return to the oven.
Bake for another 35 to 40 minutes or so, till the streusel is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven, and wait about 15 minutes before serving.
Yes, crisp is a wonderful thing – a lovely autumn dessert. And the perfect solution to all those apples you picked!
One more view… These individual pans are good for little pot pies, mini casseroles, individual servings of scalloped potatoes, and all kinds of single-serve treats.
Read, rate, and review (please!) our recipe for Classic Apple Crisp.
Buy vs. Bake
Buy: Grill on the Alley, Beverly Hills, CA: Apple Crisp à la Mode, $8
Columbia Harbour House, Disney World, Orlando, FL: Apple Crisp, $3.59
Bake at home: Apple Crisp, 1/6 of recipe, 93¢.
P.S. Looking for something to do this Sunday? King Arthur’s FREE traveling baking demos will be at the New York Hilton in Manhattan. Even better: a baking meetup in between, to talk baking of all kinds with KA’s bakers – including me (who NEVER gets to NYC, so this is pretty exciting (for me, anyway)… If you’re anywhere close and can come, I’d love to meet you!)
September 29th, 2009 at 8:29 am
This is beautiful! Perfect for Fall. I love baking with apples.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Great recipe, wonderful presentation. Much better than foodtv. I love finding a recipe and being able to follow it visually from start to finish.
September 29th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Hi,
I’ve got several apple pies frozen for winter, but now that I see this I’m wondering if there is a good way to freeze a fully-prepped crisp? Would it bake up OK later?
Bake first, then freeze. Many bakers believe the texture of the apples changes if they are frozen, then baked. Irene @ KAF
September 29th, 2009 at 9:49 am
This is a fall staple
September 29th, 2009 at 10:09 am
The penultimate autumn recipe, eh? Which recipe is the ultimate one then? (Sorry, just my inner English curmudgeon coming out)
Apple pie! (Yes, I’m an English major and a charter member of Garrison Keillor’s P.OE.M. – Professional Organization of English Majors)… PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 10:41 am
I made apple pie/crisp in a 6 inch iron skillet. Half recipe worked great for me. I used Gala new crop apples.
September 29th, 2009 at 10:46 am
I was just looking on your site for an Apple Crisp recipe last week. I ended up making the Betty Crocker one and the topping was like sand. Not crispy at all. And you don’t even flavor the apples at all. It was pretty bad. This one looks so much better. Thanks!
September 29th, 2009 at 11:02 am
The Baker’s Companion is the ALWAYS my first resource for all things baking. I love the crumble & crisp recipes in that book. On apple crisp, I add a little fiber & omega-3 with a couple of tablespoons of flaxseed – doesn’t change the flavor, but very good for you.
Thanks for sharing these creative additions to the crisp. Another great way to sneak in more nutrition to our diets (as well as our treats!). Irene @ KAF
September 29th, 2009 at 11:24 am
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I am thinking about using a muffin pan to make individual servings so that no one grabs “all the goodies” on top.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Oh my, this is torture having to sit at my desk at work and see these delightful pictures, knowing it is going to be hours before I can get home and make this…I think I can even smell it!!! I just bought apples yesterday and now know exactly what I am going to do with them! Thank you so much!
September 29th, 2009 at 11:43 am
LOL–I have to find that organization! I’ve taught English for more years than I care to think about–and I still call myself an English MAJOR. Go figure!
Can you adjust the slice size on the peeler?
And I can’t believe you have the NYC meet up on the day I actually have to drive up to the VT for the artisan bread class! It never rains but it pours….
I think that organization lives only in Garrison’s mind, Jeri, and on the T-shirt he sells through the Wireless catalog… And no, slice size on the peeler can’t be adjusted. Though you can adjust it to peel only, no coring/slicing. Have fun at your artisan bread class! PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
As I was opening the computer to check the blog, I thought to myself I should find a recipe for apple crisp since we picked all these gorgeous apples this weekend. Apple pie is the dessert of choice this weekend, but middle of the week apple crisp is perfect. I am going to make this one with 1/4 cup of orange liqueur in place of water. Looking forward to it! Plus I think I will need to purchase that cookbook when I head up to Vermont in a few weeks!
September 29th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
mmmm
You had me at streusel topping!
My husband will be going to the farmer’s market to get “seconds” apples just for this. (the seconds are just not perfectly shaped, still 100% good to eat) Come on Saturday!!!
In the mean time, I’m crunching away on one of our last pristine Gala apples!
September 29th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
YAY! I was going to look for an apple crisp recipe this week and you saved me a google search! My best friend and her husband were in town at her mother in laws house and I went over to catch up with her and her MIL made a deliiicccciiiooouus apple crisp from fresh apples AND PEARS from her orchard! It was HEAVENLY. I can’t wait to try yours.. maybe I’ll get brave and throw in some pears too!
September 29th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Why do you seperate out half the apples and “twice bake” them in the individual pan recipie section? Thanks!
Because they don’t all fit at once; the first layer needs to shrink down first. Alternatively, you could simply chop the apples into smaller pieces, and cram them in more right at the start. PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
This recipe looks absolutely inviting. I think we’re all getting a little exhuberant at the orchard – I came home with 85 lb of apples – duh…that’s an awful lot of pies and crisps.
Also consider applesauce made with boiled cider – no sugar required! Irene @ KAF
September 29th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I love apple crisp…this one sounds wonderful! As a suggestion, try using your favorite granola instead of the oats. The granola adds more flavor and a nice texture to the crisp.
Thanks, Dianna, I’ll try that next time!
PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
PJ, do you use the vanilla crush in the same quantities as regular pure vanilla, simply replace it?
It’s true. Use 1 teaspoon vanilla crush for 1 teaspoon vanilla called for in recipes. Irene @ KAF
September 29th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I too used the Betty Crocker apple crisp recipe and was disappointed. Most of their recipes, while not creative, are very reliable so I expected a better result. i can’t wait to try this as it is all about the topping and this one looks wonderful. I will also put the nuts on top of the apples as i like the crunchy texture but not the burn.
September 29th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Your crisp looks wonderful, but I’m curious to see a crisp recipe with no sugar in the filling. Is the boiled apple cider sufficient to sweeten slightly? Or is the sugar in the topping the primary sweetener for this dessert? I enjoy a good apple crisp so look forward to trying your recipe!
Maggie, if you don’t want to sweeten the apples, I’d say pick a good, sweet apple to begin with – maybe a Gala, something like that – and bake the crisp in a larger pan, so there’s more streusel, in proportion – thus more sweetening power. PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Ian asked the question that instantly came into my head…
i actually tend to think of apple crisp more than pie, though, as the ultimate fall recipe. When i was younger and my family went apple-picking in the fall, apple crisp was constantly in our house. It is SO good with vanilla ice cream… although when we had it for breakfast we omitted the ice cream.
i think i’ll have to try your recipe. It’s great baking weather this week.
September 29th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
How I LOVE crisp of any kind!!!! apples only,apples with plums, apples and if none of you have tried plouts or aprims (plums crossed with apricots) do so, a real yummy taste treat, apples with fresh cranberries, apples and dried cranberries, a real favorite for Turkey day & Christmas. Having a BEST friend that is an almond rancher, means almonds are added to the streusel topping. sometimes sliced but my favorite is to toast the whole unpeeled almonds then whack them with a mallet to make irregular pieces and mix them in the streusel and sprinkle over the filling.Toasted almonds add a wonderful crunch and texture.You don’t want to toast the almonds too much because they can get an over cooked or burned taste if you aren’t careful
Marty, you are indeed lucky to have access to all kinds of fruits, plus almonds – I love toasted nuts, personally. Just toasted pecans for a pecan/chocolate chip pie today… YUM. Thanks for sharing – PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Because I made a couple of the fresh apple cakes and I now have everything I need to jump into this recipe tomorrow night. Thanks to Marcia who posted about halving the recipe and making it in a cast iron pan. This time I’m going to try one of the regular eating apples instead of the granny smiths. The question I have is why the choice between tapioca flour and the KA all purpose flour? If they both do the same thing, is there a taste difference? Thanks
Hi Allan – I offer a choice because most people won’t have tapioca. Tapioca gives a clearer (less cloudy) appearance to the filling; the colors are truer. But taste-wise they’re the same, so either is fine if you don’t particularly care about looks – PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Have you ever thouht about throwing in a few cinnamon red hots with the apples? It gives it a great color as they dissolve and a little extra kick to the finished dessert. I have been using them for years in my applesauce along with KA oil of cinnamon it makes a delightful pink sauce.
Very good idea, Theresa – just have to find a source for them at this (non-Valentine) time of the year… PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I think apple crisp is my favorite of all the apple desserts. I kept looking
at the peels and wondering if they could be utilized in some way. The last
time we used our handy dandy little gadget, we ate strand after strand as
we peeled. I’m thinking a quick apple-spice snack cake with chopped peels and maybe nuts and raisons with a bit of boiled cider added?
what would you do-any thoughts?
I think that sounds fine, AJ – or you could add to applesauce for more fiber. Just boil them (or microwave, as I do) along with the apples, then use a stick blender on them once they’re soft. PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
I like to add some citrus to a crisp. Last time I used a total of 2 teaspoons mixture of lemon, lime and orange juice. It gives a nice accent to the apple flavor. And if you peel and slice by hand you can add as you slice to keep the apples from browning.
By the way, I knew exactly what you implied is the ultimate fall dessert
Everyone is just full of good ideas here! Thanks, Tim. And glad you identified the ULTIMATE fall dessert – PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
My first thought when it comes to dessert is apple crisp! Mmmmmm! I love freshly grated nutmeg in mine too. I took your idea from another blog and used that wedger thingie to make slices this last time – just left the peels on – and it worked just fine. I like Rome or McIntosh because it all just disintegrates into melty, appley goodness. A close second in apple goodness: baked apples! Filled with dates and pecans – yum!
Next will you do date squares?!
I happen to love date squares, Lee – good idea, I’ll see if I can fit them in somewhere… PJH
September 29th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Wow mouthwatering….send one parcel immediately….
Might be a bit messy, Tina – But if you’re in Hawaii, I’ll fly it there personally! PJH
September 30th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Oh, no, you photograph these blogs weeks in advance….you just crushed my vision of you baking yesterday what I am baking today! My whole family loves apple crisp, well, any fruit crisp. And the kids know that if there should happen to be leftovers, they can have it for breakfast. I have to say that the Berry Torte, from a few blog entries back, was AMAZING! and is going to be giving the fruit crisps some competition. My plan was to make that next with apples, but now I have a hankering for crisp, which to make, hmmm…. In the meanwhile, are you baking for those Christmas photographs now? Christmas or even Valentine’s Day! Mary @ KAF
Actually, I’m very behind – I’m only up to Thanksgiving at the moment, shame on me! PJH
September 30th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
It took a day to get the apples, so baked it this morning. It is delicious with vanilla ice cream, just a bit tart without. The comment about being easy to adjust the sweetness sent me to KAF Baker’s Companion which has 3/4 cup of brown sugar in the filling, versus none listed in this recipe. Maybe 1/3 cup would be OK. We have since changed the recipe, to add some sugar. I apologize for that error. mary @ KAF
October 1st, 2009 at 12:44 pm
To keep from over-indulging, I plan to make a half recipe of this in a standard loaf pan–I don’t have a 6-inch cast iron skillet. Just enough of a treat–without completely blowing the diet on leftovers!
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:17 pm
It’s interesting to me that so many recipes include the rolled oats in the topping, whereas my family recipe doesn’t – just butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg or allspice. Also we don’t put sugar in the apples; the topping kind of sprinkles down inside them as well as staying on top.
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:05 am
We just made apple crisp, a mixture of 3 recipes I have used over the years and it was the best I ever had! I add a little ground cornmeal (1.5 TBS) to my topping, it adds a little extra something that crunches nicely.
I love the individual baking pans!
Congratulations! You’ve discovered the best of both worlds….portion control and using the best of your recipes to develop one that works best for you. Be sure to note those changes so you can duplicate it once you’ve found the proportions and ingredients that meet your needs! Irene @ KAF
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:07 am
YUM, this is one of my favorite fall treats!
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:40 am
This is “perfect timing” for me too. I came to the site to check out the apple crisp recipes and thought I’d look at the new pictures on the blog first. I just made a half recipe…there is no way 2# prepared apples would fit in MY 9×9 pan. I have instant Clearjel as well as Signature Secrets Culinary Thickener on hand. Does either one work well in apple crisp? I purchased them for specific recipes and now need more ways to use them up.
Hmmm, you must have a really shallow 9″ x 9″ pan; some manufacturers DO make them extremely low. And yes, mix ClearJel with the sugar before using; or simply add the SS. How much? Depends on how juicy your apples are. Maybe 2 tablespoons of either? PJH
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:05 am
I am baking the individual ones in small bisque crocs.
House is awash with the aroma, making for a start to a great day!
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:05 pm
I love Honeycrisp apples. Will these work for this recipe?
Absolutely, they’d be delicious, Virginia. I love Honey Crisp, too – great eating apples. PJH
October 4th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
I made this today and it’s DELICIOUS! I used my homemade rum in it. I didn’t have the apple pie spice but I have the English spice mix from KA so I used that in place of it and added a bit more cinnamon. We loved it! I had just purchased some Styman Winesap apples and they worked really well for this.
October 5th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I am wondering about the apple peeler/corer/slicer you have in your catalog. do you have the option of using it just as a peeler/corer? Can you put the slicer into and out of action?
Dori, the corer/slicer slides out of the way when you don’t want to use it, so you can just peel the apple – but you can’t peel AND core without slicing. If I’m making apple dumplings whre I leave the peeled apples whole, or something where I want to cut the apples in big chunks rather than slice them, I peel them with the peeler, then use one of those simple tube-like corers to take the core out. PJH
October 6th, 2009 at 11:37 am
I made this over the weekend and it was pure heaven!!! I used a combination of Jonathan, MacIntosh and Cortland apples. I didn’t think I would be able to fit them all into my 9×9 pan but it did. Boy, it was good. Thanks for posting this and inspiring me to make it. It was without a doubt the best apple crisp I’ve ever made!
October 6th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
We’re leaving tomroow(from Indiana) to Hanover N.H to visit daughter and grandkids. I’m sure we will go apple picking.Grandson asked if I was going to make apple pie every day. I think after reading your blog it will be apple crisp. I read recently to use panko crumbs in the streusel so i might try that. We love King Arthur and always make a run to the store in Norwich when up there. The website is great for informations and advice. Thanks
October 7th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Solve the Apple Crisp/Apple Pie debate by making a bottom crust only pie with the Streusel topping. Actually, my mom’s been doing it forever. Yum!
October 7th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Here’s my great recipe for an old-fashioned apple crisp for those of you (like me) who just don’t like oatmeal in my crisp topping!
Nonna Donna’s Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
6 large Granny Smith Apples 2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar 1 cup superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 stick salted butter
And a little cognac, quality brandy or Calvados, to taste
Make the topping:
Put flour, sugars and cinnamon in a bowl. Work the slightly softened butter in with your hand by rubbing pieces of it lightly and quickly between your fingers just until the mixture is beginning to hold together and look crumbly. Set aside.
Quarter, core and peel the apples and slice into a bowl. There should be about 5 to 6 cups. Sprinkle and toss the sliced apples generously with brandy (or a couple of teaspoons of sugar/cinnamon mixture, if you prefer not to use the brandy, but don’t over sweeten the apples since the topping is already so sweet.) Put the brandied sliced apples in any shallow unbuttered baking dish (recipe makes the equivalent of a 10” pie pan). Level them and then sprinkle the topping over the apples, completely and evenly covering all the apples.
Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven until the topping is golden brown all over and the apples are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. If your topping has browned enough for your taste, but you don’t think the apples are tender enough, turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and lay a piece of foil loosely over the top and continue to cook until the apples reach your desired tenderness.
Serve warm with a quality vanilla ice cream or a pitcher of heavy cream (unwhipped and unsweetened).
Thanks for the recipe. It sounds delicious! Molly @ KAF
I’m totally trying this! PJH
October 7th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I can’t get enough apple desserts this time of year and I’m on my way to OD’ing on them I’m sure. This one is on my list!
On a totally different note I’m SO excited because we’re taking a trip Saturday and coming to the KAF store and bakery!! We wanted to get out and take a day trip to leaf peep and I suggested why not make KAF our destination. We have no other places planned after that and I guess we’ll just roam around and see what we can find for the rest of the day before heading the 3 hour trip back home. I’m so excited I can’t stop talking about it and pretty sure I’m driving my husband insane.
)
April, welcome in advance! Foliage is totally spectacular a bit north of here right now, and pretty darned good here, as well. You might want to drive up Route 89 to Exit 10, Waterbury – visit the Ben & Jerry’s factory. You’ll see some lovely scenery along the way. Also, Stowe is nice, and the Cabot Cheese headquarters/factory is right around there somewhere, too, as is the Lake Champlain Chocolates factory. Plenty of apples, cider, and pumpkins everywhere. Oh, and the KA store – you’ll love it!!! Have fun! PJH
October 8th, 2009 at 7:50 am
PJ, thank you SO much for the suggestions! It’s so helpful to have points of interest to reference so we can plan the trip a little more. Those all sound like places that we’d both love to visit. Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia is my husbands absolute favorite so it will be no problem convincing him that should part of our trip. Have I mentioned how excited I am?? I’ve already warned my husband we may not get out of the KA store for less than a small fortune. LOL Thank you again.
)
October 8th, 2009 at 10:43 am
What’s happening? Long time between new posts – I’m having recipe withdrawal!
October 9th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Thanks for updating the recipe with the sugar in the filling! The lack of sugar in the original post threw me when I first read the blog. Nice to know you can decrease the amount of sugar and still get a tasty dessert!
October 15th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
When my wedge shaped bakers arrived, I had no reason to wait, diets be darned! I made the apple crisps. My choice of liquid was apricot brandy, which I usually reserve for the holiday pound cakes. Not any more! I twice baked the apples, as you suggested. The juices just oozed from the combination of Granny Smith, Gala and Jonagolds! We topped them off with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream, and the neighbors are still smiling. Keep up the good work. I’m going to be known as the little fat lady in Northern Michigan, for at least a little while longer, but I’ll be as happy as ever!
Char
October 15th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
My old boss and owner of the family owned apple orchard, when she makes apple sauce she puts in a few cinnamon red hots and makes “pink” apple sauce. It gives it a little kick.
October 16th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
I bought a package of King Arthur Whole Wheat Pastry Flour for a particular recipe. I still have a portion of it left in my refrigerator, what can I do with this flour other than making a piecrust?
Hi Marjorie,
Try using the whole wheat pastry flour to replace half of the regular flour in muffins and quickbreads. It’s great for biscuits too. ~ MaryJane
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:59 pm
MJ,
KAF whole wheat pastry flour works very well in the crisp too! I used to replace part or all the white flour all the time when making it for family! I was surprised you didn’t mention it when answering MG. I noticed the other grain additions above too., very healthy!)
My sister in Washington state (where it is cool )has fresh apples, and sent this to me in West Hollywood, CA. As former Michiganders, I miss the apples there as they were so fabulous compared to CA. or shipped in. Michigan has great produce, as the NE coast does. those crispy nights and warm summer days!
While it is 80 here today, all this apple crisp talk makes my mouth water. I will have to make some kind of fruit crisp now…so I am headed to the kitchen.. It has been great reading all the notes from up North-East way..this is the only time of year I get homesick for Michigan, harvest, beautiful leaves colors, and the fall.
Have a wonderful one!
October 25th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
We had this for dessert tonight; very tasty and I will make again. Our ingredient choices were: granny smith apples, boiled cider, dark rum, and sliced almonds. We liked the richness the cider added. I did not have walnuts and one of the other reviewers mentioned almonds which we had in the pantry. I don’t think the oatmeal added any crunch but it doesn’t hurt either. The topping needs some nuts for crunch so unless someone is allergic to nuts I would make sure to include some of whatever type you like best with apples.
Good suggestion, Jean – thanks. Glad you enjoyed it! PJH
October 26th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Hi,
Made the apple crisp yesterday and got raves from the family. “This is a keeper” was the overall rating. I only had Macintosh apples so sliced them thicker and that worked fine. Used locally processed apple juice with the boiled cider and was it ever a “fall” taste. The topping was delicious. Not too crunchy but just enough to add to the all-over flavor. Thanks so much for this recipe. It will be one I will make for Thanksgiving also.
Janice
Janice, thanks for sharing your success with us – glad it’s a “keeper,” and just in time for Thanksgiving! PJH
December 26th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Doubled the recipe and made this tonight for a post-Christmas family dinner. Added fresh squeezed lemon juice to the apples as they were sliced, along with some lemon zest. As soon as the crisp came out of the oven I drizzled homemade dulce de leche over the top. Outstanding! I would have gotten a standing ovation from the family – but they were all too full! P.S. Can’t wait to get some boiled cider and try it with that.
September 13th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
I like oatmeal in my apple crisp topping, that is the only difference in my topping and yours. I would add 1/4 to 1/2 cup, don’t want to much but enough to know its there. I like the finer cut of quick oats for this.
November 26th, 2010 at 11:59 am
I would like to make the topping gluten-free, can I simply substitute
GF blend( I happen to have Bob’s Red Mills on hand) or shall I try another combo of GF flours? Any advice would be appreciated.
Suzanne in Clinton, NY
I have made streusel (crumb) toppings with the g-f Multi-Purpose Flour. Try 1:1. Add more if you need to lighter the texture. Frank @ KAF.
February 15th, 2011 at 8:52 am
I am going to try the crisp recipe this weekend. Our family loves crisps of every kind, but my attempts at apple crisp have been good but not great. Do you have a particular type of apple that you would recommend?
I suggest a blend of apples to give the filling a little more interest. Try: Granny Smith, Gala, and Golden Delicious. Frank @ KAF.
October 4th, 2011 at 8:28 pm
Hi, PJ!
Ahhh, good ol’ apple crisp! Well, here’s my recipe from my 7th grade cooking class (back in the day when Home Ec was mandatory). A very simple but very delicious version of an all-time favorite:
4 apples (usually Granny Smith as we live in Florida)
1 cup AP flour……King Arthur, of course!!
1/2 cup sugar
Cinnamon to taste
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (start with half the amount, then add as needed)
1/2 cup water
Pare, core, and slice apples into an 8 x 8-inch baking dish; pour the 1/2 cup of water over the apples, then a generous shake of cinnamon. Mix flour, sugar, butter, and salt in a bowl; blend with fingers until mixture is soft and crumbly, then sprinkle over apples, and shake additional cinnamon over top. Bake in 425-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the crust is browned and apples are tender.
This recipe also works with any number of fruits (peaches, blueberries, cherries). ENJOY!!
You know, some of those home ec. recipes are actually pretty good, simple as they are. Thanks – I’m definitely trying this. Pear crisp?
PJH
October 15th, 2012 at 9:35 pm
This was not only the best apple crisp I’ve ever had (e.v.e.r.) but it was the best new recipe I’ve tried in a long time in any food category. I love the simplicity and I love how that delivers such a taste impact. The crisp was perfectly crisp and the filling was held together in a wonderfully thick sauce (if you can wait for 20-30 mins to let it set up). A scoop of french vanilla ice cream and I was in heaven. We polished off the entire pan among 6 of us. SO good.
November 7th, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Could you use Instant ClearJel in place of the flour or tapioca starch for the filling? If so, what would be the recommended amount?
Our Baker’s Companion cookbook has a terrific chart in the Pie Chapter (page 422) that lists fruits and various thickeners. For each cup of apple, use 1/2 teaspoon ClearJel. This is the amount for thickening pies, you might use that amount or slightly less for apple crisp or cobbler. Happy Baking! Irene @ KAF