Because Baking is Creative: Apple Crisp

Right now in Santa Barbara we're experiencing the humble beginning of apple season. Last week a dear friend left on my doormat a bag-o-apples from her back yard tree. I was ecstatic! So ecstatic that I made an Apple Crisp and managed to take photos of it before it was gone!



This is a good old traditional recipe. Butter, check. Sugar, check. Cinnamon, check. You can't go wrong! Well, I guess you could if you didn't eat it warm with some vanilla ice cream on top. Don't forget that part. (That's me in the spoon!)



Happy baking!

Apple Crisp

Bake in an 8×8 baking dish

Filling:
5 to 6 medium-size apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices. (About 7.5 cups)
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1.5 tsp cinnamon

Topping:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, well-softened
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
1/3 cup quick oats

Preheat the oven to 350. Generously grease an 8×8 baking pan with butter.

Place a layer of apple slices in the bottom of the pan and dust with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Continue layering apples and dusting with cinnamon/sugar until done. Toss the apple mixture until evenly coated in cinnamon sugar. The apples should be just about to the top of the pan (they will cook down).

For the topping, place the flour, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon and oats in a large bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until evenly distributed. Take one full handful of the topping and toss it into the sugared apple mixture. Spread the rest of the topping evenly over the apples. (I usually end up with a dough-like topping that I just lay on top of the apples).

Bake the crisp in the dish on a baking sheet on the center oven rack until the topping is crunchy and the apples are bubbling, 55-60 minutes.