Michigan Apple Crisp

Michigan is in the peak of fall harvest. Apples, by far, are our largest crops. We have 16 different commercial varieties, selling 900 million pounds last year alone (Michigan.org). You can make so many different dishes from apples. Pies, muffins, and my favorite, apple crisp.

You can use any of the 16 varieties of apples. The small, firm, crisp apples such as honey-crisp work best. This variety creates a healthy balance of tart and sweet. Firm apples hold up well during baking. Sour apples contain a high amount of natural pectin. Pectin leads to the formation of a gelatinous substance for a thick sauce when baked.

Serve it warm on a cool fall night. This dessert is downright addictive.

Apple Crisp Recipe

Apple Filling

Apples, peeled & cored           10-15 each

Lemon Juice                             2 Tablespoon

Light Brown Sugar                   1 cup

White Sugar                             ½ cup

Cinnamon                                 1 Tablespoon                         

Nutmeg                                     1 teaspoon

Ginger                                       ½ teaspoon

• Toss apples with all ingredients. Set aside and prepare crisp topping

Crisp Topping

Rolled Oats                               2 cups

Flour                                         2 cups

Light Brown Sugar                   ¼ cup

White Sugar                              ¼ cup

Baking Soda                             ½ teaspoon

Baking Powder                         ½ teaspoon

Butter, melted                            8 Ounces, two sticks

• Sift together all ingredients except for the butt
• Stir in melted butter, blend until mealy.
• Set aside and top over apple mix.

Making Crisp

1. Set oven to 375°F.
2. Spray 9” X 13” glass baking dish.
3. Pour in apple filling, level.
4. Sprinkle crisp on top. May be tall in then pan. That is ok because the apples break down some during baking.
5. Bake 1 hour or until the center is slightly bubbles. It is hard to see at first but look closely it will seem as if your crisp is breathing.
6. Place sheet pan under glass dish, just in case there is boil over.
7. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Printable Recipe

When I first had this dish as a kid I ate it with a splash of chilled heavy cream. Has I got older I started eating my crisp a la mode, with ice cream. Vanilla bean ice cream slowly melts over the crisp producing a creamy, crunchy, warm snack.  

I have used other fruit with this crisp recipe. Dark berries, pears, and pineapples are all high in pectin. Replace fruit in filling recipe and add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to insure a thick sauce. You can incorporate nuts into the crisp for an extra toasty crunch.

Apple crisp is a core dessert for the fall season. With Michigan apples in abundance we can formulate this recipe in different ways. Which apple will you chose? What will you top it with? This recipe can give you a flexible base to create your own fun fall dish.

Source

·         Hostmaster. “Michigan Apples.” Michigan, 14 Aug. 2018, www.michigan.org/hot-spots/michigan-apples.