Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

• 
  
• Well.... here I am with a recipe.  
• 
  
• All of my excuses as to where I've been will be on the next post (since I actually wrote that one first)... so you will have to tune in again in a few days if you care to know.. or if you really like Garlic Grilled Salmon. :)

Well... it's fall and that means baking in my house.  Apple pies abound when the Courtland apples are ripe.  

I went to the orchard the other day and bought a peck of Courtlands.  

Problem?  well, I couldn't find the time to actually DO anything with them and I was afraid they were going to go bad.  

I know I've mentioned that I am cheap... so spending $10 on apples and not using them is nearing illegal for me.... ha!

So I peeled them and chopped them and then I made one large pie with a store bought crust (shhh).  

It actually was really yummy!

But I still had a HUGE amount of apples and nothing to do with them.

•   
• I didn't feel like making or buying  pie crust... so my friend Kristi suggested apple crisp.  
• 
  
• I said no, that I don't really like apple crisp, but thanks for the suggestion.   
• 
  
• Well the next morning all these chopped apples were staring at me from the bowl and I didn't want them to go bad.  
• 
  
• So, I googled "apple recipes"

After going through what felt like a million, I finally found Food network's Old Fashioned Apple Crisp recipe

It was simple and didn't call for a ton of ingredients or time.... so I made it.

I didn't have high expectations... but I don't like to waste food.

Well... you'll have to read to the review part to see what we thought!

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

• Ingredients
• 5 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples  ( I used Courtland apples)
• Grated zest of 1 orange    
• Grated zest of 1 lemon   ( I didn't use any zest... because I didn't have any)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice   ( I used store bought orange and lemon juice)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt  (* I used regular salt)
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced  (* I used salted butter... because that's what I had on hand)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 oval baking dish.( I used a 9x13 rectangle pan)

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges or chunks. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold cubed butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. 

Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. 

Scatter evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour* (mine only took 45 minutes) or until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.

I didn't get a pic of it on the plate (sorry).  We had company for dinner so I totally forgot to take a picture once we were eating!  

***Reviews:

This was a HUGE hit with everyone!!!    I will be making this often because it tastes amazing and was so easy.  We had company the night we served it and everyone had 2 servings (with the kids begging for even more).  It was even good re heated!  Not soggy at all!

**Tips:
You can read above all the places I changed things.  I didn't add the zest and I think it tasted perfect.  I also didn't measure the apples, but I think there was about 8 to 10 cups of them.  I just filled the dish! 
 Also, I happen to have a kitchen aid mixer with a paddle attachment (thanks hubs), but if you don't you can use a regular hand mixer.  Basically, the butter needs to blend into the flower/oats and get all crumbly.  Note: the butter HAS to be cold... if it isn't, it won't form the little crumbles that you need for the top! 
As for mixing,you could even do it by hand if you had to... I mean, there weren't Kitchen Aid's when apple crisp was invented right?  
Also, in case you don't have time to bake this right at the same time you're making dinner... you can make it ahead of time.  I made mine in the afternoon and it was lukewarm by dinner and tasted great. It doesn't have to be piping hot.   
Oh... one more thing, my friend Kristi says this is awesome served with Vanilla Bean ice cream.  We didn't have any.... but I bet it's amazing!  Try it!

Printer Friendly Recipe


Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

• Ingredients
• 5 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch ovalbaking dish.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.