Apple Crisp

Two years ago when I got married, my experience with cooking was limited to the typical college student fare. Thanks to a friend's recommendation I now owe just about everything I know to America's Test Kitchen. And my Mom of course!

Baking on the other hand is a completely different story. Lets just say following instructions explicitly is not a strong suit of mine. So when I tried this Apple Crisp recipe for the first time, I was delighted with how easy it was and the results were amazing. This is now my go to dessert recipe that receives raves every time. You can use any combination of apples, but I recommend 1/2 Granny Smith, 1/2 Red Delicious. And if you don't have one of these,

Get one! It will make the whole process much easier and should only set you back about $10. Usually after the crisp has been assembled I like to mix 1/4c pecans with 1T unsalted butter and 3T brown sugar and sprinkle this over the rest of the topping. This gives you a little more of those caramelized pecans that are so yummy. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

Topping:

6 tbsp  all-purpose flour

1/4 cup  packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup  granulated sugar

1/4 tsp  cinnamon

1/4 tsp  nutmeg

1/4 tsp  salt

5 tbsp  unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and softened

3/4 cups  finely chopped walnut or pecans

Filling:

3 lbs  apple (6 to 8), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/4 cup  granulated sugar

1-1/2 tbsp  fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp  grated lemon zest

Preparation

1. For the topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together. Add the butter and toss to coat. Pinch the butter chunks and dry mixture between your fingertips until the mixture looks like crumbly wet sand. Add the nuts and toss to incorporate. Refrigerate the topping for at least 15 minutes before baking.

2. For the filling: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the apples, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, together and place in an 8-inch-square (2-quart) glass or ceramic baking dish or 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Distribute the chilled topping evenly over the fruit.

3. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is deep golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations:

Crisp for a Crowd
Double the ingredients, bake the crisp in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, and increase the baking time to about 1 hour. (This works with the pear and peach variations as well.)

To make-ahead:
The crisp can be baked up to 8 hours ahead of time, cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature. Reheat in a 350-degree oven until warm, 10 to 15 minutes. You can also make the topping in advance: Prepare it through step 1, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Source

Excerpted from The America's Test Kitchen Family cookbook by the editors of America's Test Kitchen. Copyright 2005 by the editors of America's Test Kitchen. Excerpted, with permission by Harper Collins Canada. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.