The Versatile Apple Crisp

One of my favorite desserts is the ever so versatile apple crisp. It’s easy to make and it can be healthy. Really, just don’t schmear a pound of butter on the baking dish while greasing.

The photo above is taken from Chef’s ancient Joy of Cooking — that’s not where the apple crisp recipe was from though. To add an extra something to this recipe, I sometimes add in 1/2 c. of dried cranberries, 1/2 c. chopped, blanched almonds, 1/2 c. candied walnuts, 3 figs (chopped), or 1/4 c. pomegranate seeds. If you want to be risque, add 2 or 3 of the things listed above together into the apple crisp.

For a 9” square glass dish:

• 3 apples (preferable Granny Smith), cut into 1” pieces
• 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/4” pieces

Cut the apples and put them in a greased 9” square glass dish. Add in any of the optional ingredients (ex. almonds, cranberries) Mix together the flour, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, ground ginger, salt, and butter together until it looks like coarse cornmeal. Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the apples.