Best Apple Crisp

This comforting apple crisp is hands-down the best apple dessert to prepare anytime of the year. Serve with vanilla ice cream and watch it disappear.

As we are right in the middle of May, you would normally expect some berries or other seasonal fruits rather than apples. But I recently received a few apples in my weekly box of fresh produce and farm goods and I took this opportunity to share an old classic I have been willing to suggest to you for quite a long time. After all, apples keep all year long and it’s important to make sure we consume all the ones from the last season before moving forward to the next one.

I pretty much grew up with apples as i my family, we used to have apples everyday and an apple-based dessert every other week, at least. Most of the time it was a homemade French apple tart, sometimes an apple cake, and some other times an apple crisp. Among the three of them, I think apple crisp remains my favorite.

Featuring sweet, soft and tender apples, this dessert is a melt-in-your mouth one of a kind, whether eaten warm, lukewarm or cold. I must say it’s rather addictive, and even though I am generally more a chocolate desserts girl, apple crisp is an exception. I remember the ones I prepared in my student apartment in Paris years ago, the gigantic ones I made for my room mates when I lived in Stockholm, and also more recently the one I improvised in 30 minutes for my brother-in-law’s birthday… Every single time, I get the same “wow”, “yum” and other happy eating sounds from my guest.

Given that the recipe is extremely simple, it tells a lot about our love of simple pleasures in life. We all appreciate fancy desserts once in a while, but for some reason the classic homemade desserts always win. I see three reasons to that. First of all, they trigger some great old memories from our childhood. Then, they awaken our senses accordingly, creating this comforting feeling we all love. Finally, they create pride inside ourselves every time we bake them.

Now a few words about the recipe and why I am sharing it with you today. After so many years abroad, I noticed many different ways to prepare the topping part of the apple crisp. For instance, in the United States, almost all recipes involve oats, while in France we use all-purpose flour most of the time. I tested and explored the different versions, until I came up with my very own one featuring all-purpose flour and almond meal, bringing a lovely nutty flavor to the whole.

When it comes to the apple filling, most of the American recipes suggest that you combine diced apples with sugar (and sometimes flour) and cinnamon before placing them in the dish. To me, there is no need for extra sugar with the fruits, that do nothing but overtaking the true taste of apples. Instead, I suggest lemon juice and zest. As for the cinnamon, it’s up to you to use some or not with the apples themselves, but I personally keep it for the topping (although you can also do without). Note that you can also use this crispy topping for any other crisp of your choice (with pears, berries, bananas, etc.).

There is no right or wrongs when it comes to the way of serving the apple crisp. Some like it warm, other prefer it lukewarm and personally I prefer it cold. You can serve it as is, with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. I like to add a few extra fresh mint leaves too.

Best Apple Crisp

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 pers. 1x
• Category: Cakes and Pies

This comforting apple crisp is hands-down the best apple dessert to prepare anytime of the year. Serve with vanilla ice cream and watch it disappear.

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Ingredients

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For the filling:

• 5–6 apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1/2 lemon, juice and zest

For the crisp:

• 1/3 cup (80g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup (60g) almond meal
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 10-inch (25 cm) oven-proof shallow dish with butter. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the diced apples with lemon juice and zest. Pour in the prepared baking dish and set aside.
3. In another mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, almond meal, sugar and cinnamon, then use your finger tips to pinch the softened butter and incorporate with the dry ingredients. Keep pinching and tossing together with your hands until evenly combined. You will be left with many pea sized pieces of butter mixed in with the oat mixture, resulting in a crumbly texture. Set aside. D
4. Sprinkle over the apples and bake for 40 minutes or until slightly golden-brown. Allow to cool and serve cool or lukewarm with vanilla ice cream.

Apples, Fall, Fruit Desserts, Spring, Tarts & Pies, Thanksgiving, Winter

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Lastly, if you make this Best Apple Crisp, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!