Apple Crisps of Autumn in Splendid Variation

We all look forward to particular seasons of the year, as well as to the foods that come with them, and relish their annual coming-around with an almost childish delight; there are winter holidays of every shade and stripe, the beginning of summer, the Fourth of July, birthdays and more. A day that I greet with the brightest burst of enthusiasm, and with the reassuring sense that fall is almost on our doorstep, is the one on which I spy the first crisp apples of September. At their welcome sight, I press on with confidence and gather ingredients because I know that apple crisp season is almost here.

In the realm of dessert, the crisp may be the finest friend a home cook has. It’s so much easier to make than pie and yet not a sweet to shirk at because, in its rustic simplicity, it’s lovely to behold and delicious, too. And to its list of virtues we can add that its blend of  fruits, whole grains and nuts actually nourishes us.

Preparing wholesome sweets may have developed my kitchen skills more than any other endeavor, and experimenting with whole grains and natural sweeteners for baking has led me to results that have endeared these ingredients to me. I have come to treasure them, as you will too, for their flavors and for the nutrition they bring to a part of my cooking where I least expect to find it. It’s true that a crisp calls for sweetener, but we can rely on natural options and then use them wisely. I’d say that once we step into the realm of sweets, a crisp is everything a dessert should be.

Apple Crisps of Autumn in Splendid Variation

Serves 6

The nature of a crisp is this: fruit piled high as a bottom layer, baked under a crunchy topping–usually a coarse mixture of oats, nuts and flour held together with a good quality fat and some sweetener. For our master crisp recipe, we’ll use pure maple syrup to sweeten both the filling and topping. It has the vitality and essence of earth and sun, and a flavor no Aunt Jemima can manufacture. What’s better, maple syrup provides a connection to those who settled this land, and was for much of American civilization the only sweetener available other than honey, which required adventure and daring to gather.

As for apples, a mix of both tart and sweet is best. One classic and readily-available combination is Granny Smith and Golden Delicious, but other apples work just as well and can make for an interesting change.  Consider tart apples like Ida Red, Macoun, Macintosh, Cortland, Gravenstein, Jonathan or Northern Spy. And sweet apples that are good for baking include Gala, Baldwin and Stayman Winesap.

Master Ingredient List

Filling:

6 apples, peeled and cut into either 1/4″ slices or 3/4″ chunks
2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple juice
Juice of 1 lemon, plus zest if organic
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch fine sea salt

Topping:

3/4 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup almonds, walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, or 3 tablespoons melted virgin organic coconut oil

Master Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and select a 2-quart, or 8″ x 8″ dish for baking the crisp. It’s best if you can use a dish made of ceramic or pyrex; metal doesn’t work because it reacts with the acid in fruit and can break down. One beautiful aspect to a crisp is that it’s almost endlessly adaptable. If you’re baking for 3 or 4 people, you may want to cut the recipe in half and bake it in 4 ramekins. In this case, you’ll need to shorten the baking time to about 30-40 minutes. If you’re feeding a crowd, you can double the recipe and use a large baking dish, keeping the baking time about the same.

2. Next you’ll want to make the filling. In this step, simply mix the filling ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. You’ll notice that you have a choice as to how you cut the apples. Chunks have a rustic, down-home appeal and the advantage of taking less time to chop, while slices create a more refined presentation and cook somewhat faster. You’ll also see that the filling calls for little sweetener. We don’t need much because the topping itself is sweet, though keep in mind that if you use mostly tart apples you may need a little more maple syrup to balance the flavors. As for the flour in the filling, its purpose is to thicken the juices the apples give off when baking and it creates a fine result.

3. Pour the filling ingredients into the baking dish and, in the same bowl (there’s no need to rinse it), mix the topping ingredients together. Using your fingers or a wooden spoon, work the fat into the topping well, taking care to fully coat the oats and nuts. For the best flavor and presentation, be sure to spread the fat evenly throughout the topping.

4. Crumble the topping over the filling and bake the crisp for about 45-60 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. If the crisp is brown on top but the filling isn’t ready, cover it lightly with foil–shiny side down–to finish the cooking. Serve the crisp warm or at room temperature.

Variations

These are all simple, delicious ways to vary and embellish an apple crisp. Keep in mind that, since fruit sizes vary, the quantities listed are approximate. What you’re looking for is a nice full baking dish of fruit, with room enough for an ample quantity of crispy topping.

Add dried fruit: Add either 3/4 cup raisins or 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots to the filling. To make this addition, combine the dried fruit with the apple juice and lemon juice already called for in the recipe and simmer the fruit, covered, until it’s soft. Cool before adding it, along with the juice, to the filling.

Add pears and cranberries: To 4 medium apples, add 3 medium pears (Bosc, Bartlett or Anjou are nice and there’s no need to peel them) and 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries. Also add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger to the filling.

Add harvest fruits: To 3 medium tart apples, add 3 medium pears (as above, Bosc, Bartlett or Anjou work well and don’t need peeling), 1-1/2 cups seedless red grapes, 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.

Add blueberries: To 4 medium apples, add 8 oz. fresh or frozen blueberries.

Add plums: To 5 medium apples, add 8 sliced plums. The Italian plums that ripen as the season turns are especially tasty, but all plums work. Also, replace the lemon juice and zest with the juice and zest of 1 orange.

Questions Answered

Do I  have to peel the apples? The recipe really does work better if you peel the apples. If you’re in a hurry and getting the optimum result is not as important as your time–by all means, skip the peeling. The crisp will still be tasty. But one of the qualities of an especially good crisp is the way some of the apples break down and become almost saucy, while others hold their shape. When you include the peels in a crisp, they hold the apples together and stand in the way of this delicious development.

Why, in step 4, does the foil have to be placed on the crisp shiny side down? Aluminum will react with the acid in fruit and can break down, finding its way into your food. The shiny side of foil is more stable, which means it breaks down more slowly than the dull side. Heavy-duty foil also breaks down more slowly than ordinary foil does. My usual routine is to place a piece of parchment paper between foil and food, which also solves the problem nicely.

Can I make a crisp ahead of time and serve it later or another day? It’s easy to prepare any or all of this recipe ahead of time or over time. You can make the crisp topping ahead and refrigerate it for about a week. You can make the filling early in the day and refrigerate it for later on. You can do the same with the whole crisp. And you can bake the crisp up to a day in advance and gently reheat it before serving (in an oven preheated to about 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes–lightly covered).

Copyright 2010, Ellen Arian, Ellen’s Food & Soul